Only a Summer Love
by Nielae
Summary: Simba and Nala decide to return to the jungle where they fell in love to relive their past. What they discover there affects both of them deeply, but not in the way that they expect. How will they cope? Please read and review!
1. Return to the Past

A/N: Well, here goes. First fanfic ever! This story is based on the movie canon only; i.e., there's nothing in here from the musical or _TLK6NA_ or anything like that. I tried figuring out a way to incorporate those into the story, but it just wouldn't work (which you'll probably see later). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Reviews and/or criticisms are greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: Any characters, events, places, or other miscellaneous things that you recognize don't belong to me.

* * *

_Return to the Past_

The two lions stood near the tip of Pride Rock as the sun set, casting long shadows over the Pridelands. As they looked over their territory, the wind blew gently, stirring the mane of the lion and the fur of his mate. Since the unification of his pride with the one from the Outlands, Simba was pleased to see that the Pridelands had enjoyed peace for several weeks. His mate Nala nuzzled his shoulder gently, her turquoise eyes bright with pleasure. "Look down there," she said playfully. "Remind you of anything?"

Simba looked downward and saw what Nala had pointed out. On a large rock several feet from the base of Pride Rock, his daughter Kiara lay next to her mate Kovu, his dark fur almost invisible in the fading light. Although it was difficult to make them out and impossible to hear them at all, he was sure they were gazing at one another with love in their eyes and talking endlessly about nothing in particular. Simba knew, for he had done the same thing with Nala after they had first been married. The two had been oblivious to the rest of the world; they simply wanted to learn all they could about each other and enjoy just being together.

"I'm glad they love each other so much," Simba said, turning back to Nala. "I just wish that I hadn't been so hard on her when she was growing up." Nala saw regret in the eyes of her mate, yet happiness for the future. She shook her head.

"You were only doing what you thought was right," she said. She swatted him gently with her paw, smiling. "Just try to relax a little, okay? You _know_ everything's fine now."

"I know," Simba said, turning his gaze to the night sky. Above him were the great kings of the past, watching over him and his pride. He was sure his father Mufasa was watching him, and could only hope that he was proud. Nala lifted her head up as well, although Simba couldn't tell whether she was thinking the same thing he was or if she was just enjoying the view. He looked at his mate again, the light from the stars and the moon illuminating her pale fur. She seemed to glow almost silver in the dim light. And for what he was sure was the thousandth time since he had reunited with her in the jungle so long ago, he was struck again with how beautiful she was.

Noticing Simba's silence, Nala looked away from the sky and turned to her mate. His red eyes showed that he was deep in thought, and he seemed detached from everything around him. "What is it?" she asked.

He shook his head as though to clear his thoughts. "Remember how we found each other again? In the jungle?"

Nala laughed. "You mean, when _I_ found _you_?" Before he could move out of the way, she had pounced on him playfully and pinned him to the rock. "I remember it happening a little something like this."

"Yeah," Simba said. "I was just thinking about that day. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here. I'd still be in the jungle, I wouldn't have a pride...." He rubbed his head against hers. "I wouldn't have you...."

"And Scar would still be king," Nala said, making a face. "That is, assuming we were all still alive." Simba placed a paw on top of hers. Nala didn't often talk about those days, the same way he didn't tell her everything about the jungle. She did this because of the painful memories from her past, while he did it because he knew it would be cruel to talk about the fun he was having while the Pridelanders were suffering. Sometimes he thought about how strange it was that, although they seemed to know each other as well as they knew themselves, there was still so much in their pasts that they hadn't even begun to touch on. Nala smiled again. "That day was the greatest of my life."

"I agree," Simba said. "But there was another reason I was thinking of that." He paused for a second, trying to think of the best way to say this. "Seeing those two together made me think that maybe we should, well, go back there. You know, relive that day. Just the two of us. It would be great."

"That's a great idea!" Nala said excitedly. "We could start out tomorrow and...." She frowned. "But who's going to rule while we're there?"

Simba lifted a paw toward his daughter's general direction. "Kiara and Kovu, of course. You know I've been kind of unfair to her, to both of them really, so let's give them some responsibility this time. They've earned it."

"Don't you think they're a little young?" Nala asked.

"Not much younger than I was when I became king," he replied. "Besides, Zazu and my mother will be there to help."

"I guess you're right," Nala said. "I know Kiara'll be happy, anyway." She looked down at the rock where her daughter was reclining, now a formless shadow. "When should we tell them?"

"I was thinking first thing tomorrow morning," Simba said. "Then we can leave right away. I know it'll take a while to get there."

Nala leaned into him, memories of the past flooding back to her. Deserting her hunting party as they searched for whatever could be found, sneaking past the hyenas appointed to guard the borders, and then running from the parched, desolate lands that she had once considered paradise. She had hated to stop for anything at all, seeking only someone who could help her, defeat Scar, and return the Pridelands to their former glory. And then she had found Simba again, and fallen in love. That was the day that she began to live again. That was the day her life had begun to turn around. She nuzzled her mate, her vivid eyes alive with joy and expectation. "I can hardly wait."

* * *

Kiara looked up at the silhouettes of the two lions on Pride Rock. "They've been there for a while, Kovu," she remarked. "What do you think they're doing?"

"Probably the same thing we are," he replied. "Talking, looking at the stars. Why?" He turned to face her, his green eyes glinting in the dark.

"I don't know," she said. "I guess it's because they haven't done this in a while." Kovu looked at her curiously. She continued, "Back when I was a cub, I used to see them like that all the time. Then, when I got older, they just kind of... stopped. I guess it just seems weird to see them like this again."

"Maybe it's because it's all over, you know?" He looked toward the cave further back on Pride Rock where the others were sleeping. "I mean, we're all together now. No one has to worry about what's going to happen. We can just... relax. Even Vitani said so, and you know how active she is," Kovu said, nudging her.

Kiara smiled. The former Outsider was a very active hunter and had quickly become one of the most important lionesses in her hunting party. It embarrassed her slightly that Kovu's sister was so skilled, while she still hadn't brought down her first kill. Thinking about this and the hunt that she was going to be a part of the next day made her tired. "Maybe we should go to bed now, Kovu," she murmured. "I'm not sure I can keep my eyes open much longer."

The lions stood up from the rock they had been lounging on and walked toward Pride Rock. Kiara glanced up at the tip and saw that her parents were gone. Her last thoughts were of Kovu and the impending hunt before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

As the sun began to rise over the horizon, bathing the Pridelands in shades of red and orange, Simba and Nala exited the communal cave. They had made a point to get up early so they could announce to the pride what they were going to do. As they looked over their land, Simba saw Zazu the hornbill flying over the waterhole, already finishing his morning report. "Do you think he'll have a problem with them in charge?" Simba asked.

Nala shook her head. "I doubt it. In fact," she added, "he'll probably enjoy it. This will be the first time they've been in charge. I bet they'll need his help on a lot of things."

They both turned around as the other lions exited the cave. At the same time, Zazu landed next to them and Timon and Pumbaa made their way up the side of Pride Rock. "Everyone, I have something to announce," Simba began. Nala nodded in approval.

"What is it, Daddy?" Kiara asked, wondering if it had anything to do with the night before.

"Nala and I have decided to visit the place where we were reunited," Simba said. "We really shouldn't be gone for more than two weeks, and we know that the pride is going to be in capable paws."

"That's because while we're gone, Kovu and Kiara will be ruling," Nala finished. "If you need any help, I'm sure Zazu or Sarabi will be happy to assist you."

Sarabi was one of the older lionesses in the pride, but was still young in spirit and very knowledgeable in the affairs of running a kingdom. She had helped Simba numerous times after he had taken the throne, and had helped several of the younger lionesses learn to hunt under Scar's reign. "Just ask me if you have any problems," she said.

"Do you really mean it?" Kiara asked. At a nod from her father she joyfully ran up to him, rubbing her head against his. "Thank you so much!"

"That's really great of you," said Kovu appreciatively. He was relieved to see that Simba finally respected and trusted him enough to let him have control of the kingdom. "I'm sure we won't have any trouble."

"Does anyone have a problem with this?" Simba asked. When his question was met with silence from the pride, he turned to Nala. "Great. Then we can set out now."

"Wait just a minute!" Timon suddenly shouted. "You mean to tell us that you're just packing up and going to _our_ jungle right now, without us, without even giving us one _word_ of warning, and you expect us to be okay with that?" The meerkat shook his head. "C'mon, Pumbaa, give me some backup here. We should be coming too!"

"Come on, guys, the last time you went there at all was before Kiara was born," Simba said, knowing that this applied to him as well. "I thought you said you liked the Pridelands better anyway."

"He has a point, you know," Pumbaa said. "I've always said the Pridelands had a wider variety of grubs...."

"All right, all right, go ahead," Timon said, cutting the warthog off. "But don't even _think_ of taking any of the bugs from my personal stores." He looked at the lions accusingly. "I'll know!"

"What's gotten into him?" Nala muttered, shaking her head.

"I guess he thinks I should've asked him and Pumbaa to go before I asked you," Simba whispered to her. Nala rolled her eyes slightly. "Remember how in the jungle they didn't trust you that much at first?"

"I guess so," she answered. Speaking loud enough for the rest of the pride to hear, she said, "I guess we're leaving now. Goodbye, everyone!"

As the rest of the pride said their goodbyes, Simba and Nala descended from Pride Rock. Although neither of them looked back, they were both sure that Kiara and Kovu were stepping up to take the spots they had formerly vacated. That was to show that they accepted the position as temporary rulers. "They'll do fine," Nala said reassuringly. "How about we walk for an hour or two, and then go hunt?"

Simba nodded. Both lions were on edge with anticipation. They were finally returning to the jungle where they had realized their love for each other, and knew that beautiful memories of the past were waiting for them. Without a word they walked on, knowing that the sooner they reached the jungle, the longer they could stay.

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A/N: I know not that much happened in this chapter, but I needed to set the stage for the actual story. I'm sure some of you know what's coming. As I said back at the beginning, any reviews would be great. Well, see ya next chapter!


	2. When There's Smoke

A/N: I never thought I'd update so quickly, but hey, it's definitely going to be a while before the next chapter. I'll get back to the Simba and Nala stuff then. Tamaa, Siri, and Hifadhi are my characters, so don't use 'em without asking. And no, Tamaa is not related to or based off of the character Tama from one of the comic stories. I hope you enjoy it, and leave a crit and/or review if you can.

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_When There's Smoke_

Tamaa let the stone in her mouth fall to the floor of the jungle, taking another fleeting look at the body in front of her before turning around to get another rock. As she made her way to the quarry, Siri emerged from the trees that led to the waterfall and fell into step next to her. Tamaa turned to look at her daughter, noticing the streaks on her face from tears she hadn't brushed away. "Have you calmed down now?" she asked, more harshly than she'd meant to. Siri winced, her black-tipped ears drooping.

"Not really," she sighed. "He was like my father. He was always there for me, and now he's-- he's--"

"_Dead_, Siri," Tamaa said. Noticing her daughter's dejected expression, she added quickly, "I'm not trying to be cruel. You know I wouldn't try to hurt you. Hell, you're the only one I got now. But you know I don't sugarcoat things." She began walking toward the quarry again. "We can't dwell on the past. It's only us now, and we gotta move on." She paused as they reached the edge of the quarry. "Help me carry one of these stones, will ya?"

Siri watched Tamaa carefully make her way down the side of the rift, limping all the while. Her mother's right foreleg had been damaged for as long as she could remember, but Tamaa never gave any explanation why. Siri assumed this lack of information was just another way her mother avoided dwelling on the past. She watched Tamaa grab a small rock in her mouth, then slid down into the quarry to follow her lead.

When the lionesses reached Hifadhi's body, Tamaa added another stone to the pile already there. Siri did the same, then quickly turned to her mother, trying to avoid seeing the body once more. "Why are we doing this?" she asked.

Tamaa sighed. "Sometimes I think I should've raised you better," she muttered. "You're as naive as a cub."

Siri flinched. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"

Her mother rolled her eyes. "You don't need to apologize. Sometimes I forget what you don't know." Tamaa closed her eyes, remembering her cubhood. "In normal prides, well, at least the one I was in, the pride members would move their dead into abandoned caves for burial. They'd cover 'em with rocks so scavengers couldn't get in and eat them." She looked at Hifadhi again and sighed. "But we don't have a pride. And our cave's not close enough to where he died. I figured we'd make the most out of what we got."

* * *

Over the course of her life, Siri had noticed that there was one exception to her mother's rule of speaking about the past: the events of her cubhood. Tamaa spoke of these days with no bitterness in her voice, only longing and regret. She had lived in a "normal pride", with a large family and friends. Siri had once asked, as a cub, why they weren't living there. What had happened to make her leave?

This question had a shocking effect on her mother. Her eyes grew livid, and she unsheathed her claws and raised a paw as though to hit her daughter. She managed to compose herself at the last second, the anger present only in her voice. "I don't talk about the past!" she had shouted, turning away and leaving Siri alone.

Siri had tried asking Hifadhi about it, but the lion only shook his head, adamant. "Tamaa's made me swear not to talk about it," he replied, lifting up a foreleg to brush his brown mane out of his face. "It'd destroy her to know I've told you why. She's more delicate than you know." He placed a paw on her shoulders. "She loves you more than you know." Knowing she wouldn't get an answer, Siri learned never to ask again. And as she grew up, the desire to know why faded until she'd almost forgotten it had been there at all.

* * *

Tamaa had turned away from the pile of rocks and was heading back to the quarry. Siri forced herself to look at Hifadhi's body. His mane was in disarray, as it had been when he was alive. His hooded eyes were closed, and his tawny limbs were spread out in a relaxed position. She could almost believe he was asleep. That is, until she looked at his side, where a ragged, deep wound stretched, exposing bone. She felt her gorge rise, and she swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes.

That very morning, Hifadhi had gone out hunting for them. When an hour passed and he didn't return, Siri had been sent out to help him hunt. The weather had been dry lately, and finding animals alone and not at the waterhole was a challenge. She had run into him in the middle of the jungle, using every ounce of strength he had to return to his family. From what she understood, he had been gored by an elephant's tusk while trying to sneak up on an antelope.

Hifadhi collapsed to the ground shortly after that, and Siri panicked. Tamaa had limped up to her shortly after that, watching her daughter begging him to stay awake. In a rare moment of maternal affection, she had pulled her daughter to her side. "Siri, there isn't anything you can do," she said gently. "He's not going to make it." Tamaa stayed by his side during his last moments, but Siri couldn't bear to watch. She went to the waterfall, her favorite spot in the jungle, and cried for what felt like forever.

Looking at his body now and remembering the last few hours only hurt her more, and she turned away, heading to the quarry. Her mother was struggling down again, wincing in pain, but her face was set in cold determination. Besides her policy about forgetting the past, she lived by a maxim that was evident in all aspects of her being: Never show weakness. Siri was not dominant or controlling by nature, but felt taking charge now was necessary. Her mother's pain on top of Hifadhi's death was too much.

"Tamaa," she called, watching her mother finally reach the bottom, "you don't have to do this. I can--"

"I'm fine," her mother said, bending down and picking up a stone. Speaking around the stone, she said, "There's no need to patronize me." At that moment, her leg nearly gave out, and Tamaa swayed for a second before managing to right herself.

"Hifadhi's...dead, and I don't want to see you kill yourself too," Siri said nervously, as Tamaa slowly worked her way up from the quarry. "I'll get all the rocks you need. Please." Her mother managed to pull herself over the edge of the quarry, and dropped the stone.

"Fine," she said simply, "but I'll carry them to Hifadhi myself." And with that she picked up the stone and walked off, not turning back. Siri sighed in relief and slid down the steep side of the quarry once more.

Tamaa's leg was hurting her even more than she let on, but she refused to let that impede her. Hifadhi's death had devastated Siri, and she knew that showing weakness wouldn't help anyone. Ignoring the old injury, she dutifully carried stone after stone from the edge of the quarry to his body, until she knew that she had a large enough pile. She walked to the quarry for the last time, holding up her good paw. "Don't get another one," she called to her daughter. "I got all I need."

Siri scrambled up the side of the quarry, a thin layer of dust clinging to her fur. "Are you hungry?" she asked, shaking it off in a fine cloud. "I could go…hunt." Both of them knew hunting was the last thing Siri wanted to do, but Tamaa was forced to assent. With her injury she was useless at killing; she hadn't hunted since she was an adolescent.

"Just be careful," she said. "If there's anything at all that seems dangerous, come right back." For a split second Siri's ears drooped in remembrance, but she steeled herself and walked toward the outer edges of the jungle, where prey was likely to be found. Tamaa walked over to Hifadhi, looking at him with love in her eyes. There weren't enough rocks to cover him, so she slowly outlined his body with the stones, one by one. If scavengers picked his body clean, or if it was simply washed away by the waves of time, these rocks would serve as a memorial. She leaned in close to him, whispering in his ear the way she had done as a cub. "Goodbye, Hifadhi. You were the best dad a girl could have."

* * *

Siri ate from the zebra in front of her until she felt slightly nauseous, then picked up the leg she had set aside for Tamaa. She knew that without Hifadhi, there might not be enough food to have a full meal every day; it was important to fill herself up whenever she had the chance. She glanced up at the sky as a raindrop splashed on her nose, calming her down slightly. A change in the weather could make hunting easier, even if only slightly. Walking leisurely back to where her mother waited, she looked up at the gray clouds above. Perhaps this rain would bring peace and relief; she knew it was just what her mother needed.

Tamaa's ears twitched at the sound of Siri stepping through the undergrowth, and she turned around to greet her. "You brought down a zebra so quickly?" she asked as her daughter dropped the leg in front of her. "I would've thought they'd be impossible to find." She bent down and eagerly began eating; all of the day's exercise had made her hungry.

"It was caught in a ravine," Siri answered. "It didn't notice me coming until I was right behind it."

"More than I can do," Tamaa said, pushing the half-finished leg aside. "I'm thinking we should take this back to our cave. Who knows when the hunting'll pick up again?"

"Hopefully soon," she replied. "It's raining a little right now." Tamaa looked up, but it was too difficult to see the sky through the screen of trees above them. The only real sign of the presence of rain was that it was steadily darkening. "We should probably get back before it really picks up." As if to punctuate these words, a thunderclap sounded overhead and a bolt of lightning sizzled through the sky.

"Siri, run!" Tamaa said urgently. She prodded her with a paw, then ran ahead of her as best she could. "Do you realize how close that was? We have to get to the cave now!"

Siri needed no second warning, and she sprinted through the jungle, pausing occasionally to allow her mother to catch up. They had moved out of the heavily shaded area and into a clearing. She looked up at the sky as she caught her breath, the rain falling on her pelt like pebbles, trying to ignore the stitch in her side. Bolts of lightning flashed through the sky, and she saw spots when she blinked. The next thing she felt was her mother's paw across her face.

"Don't just sit there...like an idiot!" panted Tamaa. "If that lightning gets any closer...the whole damn jungle'll go up in flames!" And her mother was ahead of her now, despite her damaged leg, occasionally falling but climbing back to her paws each time, running on pure adrenaline. She looked back at her daughter, her dark-rimmed eyes growing wide with panic. "Come on! Do you want to die?"

These words spurred Siri on. They each knew that, as much as she would have hated to admit it, Tamaa depended on her now. If she died, her mother would be alone, with no way to obtain food and with no friends. She dashed through the storm, her lungs burning, until she caught up with her mother. They were close to the cave now, but still had a distance to go. She felt as though she were floating outside herself, or dreaming; not thinking, just doing. This feeling only lasted a few minutes, for she was brought back to earth by her mother's shout.

"Damn it, we gotta get out of here!" Siri turned her head to where Tamaa was looking, and her eyes grew wide. The lightning had hit a tree several meters behind them, and it had caught on fire. The two lionesses ran faster, thinking of nothing except escaping the flames blazing behind them, spreading from tree to tree. Despite her best efforts, Tamaa soon fell behind. Siri turned around to see her sprawled on the ground, her leg having finally given out. Within a few seconds she had struggled up, but the fire was closer behind them. "I don't think we're gonna make it," she panted, coming up to Siri on three legs.

"Don't say that!" Siri said, in a louder voice than either of them was used to. They struggled on, dodging roots and low-hanging branches, eyes streaming from the smoke that seemed to be getting closer and closer. As they reached another clearing, both lionesses gasped in shock. The flames had spread to the trees ahead of them, and they were caught in the middle. Siri wanted to cry, but knew that this wasn't over yet. They still had a chance.

As they ran forward, a young tree in front of them toppled from the heat of the flames. Tamaa jumped back just in time, but Siri wasn't so lucky. A branch had hit her shoulder, and she screamed out in pain from the shock. "Just ignore it," Tamaa said, her eyes narrowing in determination. "We have to jump over the trunk!" Both lionesses stepped several paces backwards, looked at each other, and nodded. "Now!" Tamaa shouted, springing forward.

Siri jumped higher than she ever had during a hunt, extending her forelegs as far ahead as she could, praying that she and her mother would be safe. With relief she hit the ground rolling, and saw that she was just over the trunk, in a clearing several meters from the river. She had made it! Her relief quickly turned to worry as she looked around, seeing no sign of her mother.

When Tamaa had jumped forward, she realized too late that she was too far from the trunk. She landed clumsily on the ground, several inches from the blazing tree. She struggled to stand, but forgot in her worry all the stress she had put on her leg. With a gasp of shock she fell back to the ground, her head throbbing and her body sore.

Siri went as close to the trunk as she dared, looking over the top for Tamaa. "Hurry, get up!" she called to her mother. The older lioness didn't move from her position on the ground, simply groaned weakly and looked in Siri's direction. "Come on, Tamaa, I'll help you!" she called, stretching a foreleg over the trunk. "Please," she said in a hysterical whisper, trying to ignore the part of herself that told her it was too late.

"I ran too much; I can't stand up," her mother said. Siri could barely hear her over the sound of the thunder and fire. "Go on without me; you can make it!" Siri opened her mouth, ready to disagree, but saw something in Tamaa's eyes that she had never seen before: defeat. And then she knew that her mother wasn't just giving up. Her mother was tenacious and strong, never backing down from a challenge. She had given her all, yet it wasn't good enough. As another tree fell, Siri was forced to jump back. She had two options: to stay there and die, or to save herself. But there was only one that her mother would have approved of.

She ran through the clearing with the last of her strength, wincing as she stepped on embers, but never stopping. The trees were aflame, but she only glanced at them long enough to weave through them, sprinting until she heard the sound of rushing water. Then she collapsed to the wet ground, breathing in the cool, clear air, the rain falling on her in its soothing shower. She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Tamaa," she whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If it hadn't been for-- if I hadn't stopped in that first clearing-- I'm sorry...."

The last tree of that section of the jungle fell, as did the rain from the storm clouds above. Soon the rain extinguished the last of the dying flames, and smoke rose from the dead, blackened trees. But Siri paid no attention, crying and apologizing to Tamaa, her grandfather Hifadhi, anyone who could hear her. There was nothing she could do now, nothing at all.

She was alone.

* * *

A/N: Sorry if this seemed too different in tone from the first chapter, but I needed to set up Siri's background like I did for Simba and Nala. Hifadhi and Tamaa may be dead, but trust me, this isn't the last time you'll hear of them in this story. It'd be great if you'd take the time to tell me what you thought in a review. Well, that's it for now!


	3. Intrusion

A/N: To everyone who read and/or reviewed this story, thank you so much! It really means a lot to me. Just so you know, this chapter (and probably a few later ones) contains a few scenes similar to flashbacks, but not from the actual characters. Not really sure what they would be called; a look into the past or something? Anyway, you'll get what I mean when you see them. Makali and Laini were thought of by me (though they don't really have big parts), so no stealing. Enjoy!

* * *

_Intrusion_

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, the jungle seemed to come alive. Interweaving strands of birdsong sounded from the leafy canopies overhead, while flowers on the ground gently spread open their blooms. Drops of rain from the previous day's storm slid gently from the leaves, coming to a stop at the sun-dappled ground below. In the midst of it all, Simba and Nala stood together, taking it all in. "It hasn't changed a bit," Simba said.

Nala nodded, remembering the first time she had set eyes upon it. She hadn't appreciated the beauty of it at the time, thinking only of catching a meal for herself and finding help for her pride. She now saw it through more mature eyes, reflecting on the brief time she had stayed there and the unbreakable bond she had formed. "We have, though, haven't we?" she asked. "We were so young back then..."

"Definitely," Simba agreed. "We were hardly grown up at all." He began circling Nala playfully, as though he were about to pounce at her. "But then again, when was there ever anything wrong with that?" He jumped, attempting to pin her, but she expertly dodged him.

She laughed smugly, leaping onto a small log and looking down at him. "Looks like your pounce still needs work." The second she turned her head, he stood back up, seeing his chance. "So much for feline reflex--" At that moment Simba pounced, knocking her off the log onto the soft ground below. They both laughed as they stood up together.

"We should go check this whole place out," he said, picking a leaf out of his mane. "It's been so long since we were here. Race ya!" Before Nala could say a word, he was off and running, darting through the trees toward all the familiar places where he had grown up. She stared after him for just a second, then dashed to catch up, laughing all the while.

* * *

Siri woke as the rays of dawn spread across her body. She struggled to her paws, groaning slightly. Her arms and legs felt tense and stiff, and there was a sharp pain on her left shoulder. Why did her whole body hurt like this? What had happened to her? As soon as her eyes opened, however, the sting of the day before returned. In the back of her mind she had known why, but she was hoping it had all been a dream. She turned around warily, inspecting the damaged jungle behind her. Her heart sank.

Where once a lush section of jungle stood, green and blossoming, there was only a mass of blackened trees and ash. Some still stood above her, burnt but holding onto life, but most of them had collapsed onto each other, making entrance nearly impossible. Siri wouldn't have gone in anyway. She knew that returning to where she'd had to leave Tamaa behind would be too much to bear. She turned away from the sight and walked back toward the river, checking out her reflection as best she could in the fast-moving water.

Her fur was blackened by streaks of soot in some places, and there was a burn on her shoulder from where the burning branch had hit her, but overall there was no real damage. Dipping a paw into the current, she cleaned the soot from her body. After she finished, she followed the river until she found a place that was moving slow enough to cross. She swam to the other side and climbed out, shivering as she shook out her fur. Her eyes scanned the ground until she found what she needed.

She swam back to where she'd come from, the stone in her mouth. Walking a few feet into the destroyed section of the jungle, Siri placed it in the ashes below. It was only a single rock, and not a large one at that. But it was all she could do; the quarry was surely impossible to reach by now. She stared at it for a second, tears in her eyes. "Tamaa, please forgive me," she whispered.

She turned away with a heavy heart, in the direction of her cave.

* * *

Hifadhi sat near the entrance of the caves with the rest of the pride, watching the cubs playing a game of mock-fighting in the valley several meters below. His daughter Tamaa pounced at the same time as another cub, the princess Laini, and the two collided in midair. As they lay on the ground together, staring up at the stars and laughing, the young lion sighed.

Tamaa was just on the cusp of adolescence, and she would soon be expected to hunt along with the rest of the pride. In fact, her first hunt with the others was the very next day. He knew that she, along with the other cubs in the pride, would have to grow up too fast. There was nothing he could do about this, however. He was one of the few males in the pride, and his opinions would make no difference to the king and queen. Their home in Mapango Valley, though spacious, had little food, and the pride members often had to compete with the hyenas for a meal. All he could do was hope that his daughter would still have a good life.

Down in the valley, Laini got back up and looked over at Tamaa. "So you're going on your first hunt tomorrow?" she asked. Her friend nodded, still looking at the sky. "That's great!" she said. "Because you know what I'm doing?"

Tamaa rolled over into a sitting position. "What, are you going hunting too?"

Laini shook her head. Although she was Tamaa's age, she was smaller, with tan fur that seemed almost white when the light hit it. "Nope. My parents said that tomorrow I'm starting my training to be queen!"

Laini's mother came up behind them, nudging her daughter with her head. "Come on now, it's late," she said to Laini. "If you really want that training, you'll need some rest first." Laini began following her mother up the gentle slope to the caves.

Tamaa watched her, calling, "Tell me how it goes, okay?" She decided she should go back, too, although her father was more lenient than Laini's parents and usually let her stay out longer. Although she had seen the pride hunt before, this was going to be her first time participating. Her thoughts spun excitedly as she ran to Hifadhi. She couldn't wait.

Unbeknownst to the pride, several hyenas, hidden in one of the openings of the rock wall surrounding the valley, were watching the caves. "It's perfect timing, Makali!" one of them said to their leader. "They'll all be sleeping soon; they won't even notice us!" His mouth hung open in his excitement.

"No," Makali replied. "Have you not been listening to them? The whole pride is going hunting tomorrow, while the king and queen remain behind educating their daughter. We must wait until then."

"I can't wait any longer," he growled, baring his teeth. "I've been waiting my whole life!" With that he pushed past the others, about to run into the valley. Makali stopped him with a swift movement of the paw, pushing him into the rock.

"Patience," she said. "Just a few hours, and then we strike." Her yellow eyes glowed as she surveyed the others, who stared back with eyes filled with anticipation. "Fear not. By midday tomorrow, the lives of our clan shall be avenged."

* * *

"Look at this!" Simba said. They had reached a long log hanging over the jungle. "I couldn't even _begin _to tell you how many times I walked across this thing," he laughed, jumping onto it and beginning to walk across. Nala followed, looking down at the land below. "Practically grew up here--"

"Simba, look at _this_," Nala said, cutting him off. "What do you think happened down there?" she asked, gesturing with a paw. He looked too. Below they could see that a section of the jungle by the river had been completely burnt. Almost all of the trees had fallen, and nothing there seemed alive.

"Probably because of that storm yesterday," he said, looking back up and walking forward again. "Maybe we should go check it out."

"I agree," she said, still looking down. At that moment, something in the jungle caught her eye. From the middle of the dead trees a creature emerged, with fur of a pale orange shade. It was hard to make out because of her distance high above, but Nala thought it looked like a lioness. "Did you see that?" she asked.

Simba stopped and looked down. "What?" He scanned the area, but the creature had already crossed the river and entered a patch of trees. "I don't see anything."

"I think there's a lioness down there," she replied. "I just saw her come out from those trees."

"Really?" he asked, turning back to her. "Did you see what she looked like?"

"Not really," Nala said. "She had this light orangey fur, but that was all I could make out. I never even knew other lions lived here."

"Hmm," Simba said. "She might be a nomad or something. Maybe we'll run into her later." He smiled, his eyes lighting up. "And I don't know about you, but I'm starving! We should go look for something to eat." He looked down at the log. "Well, once we get off this thing."

She nodded, but couldn't help looking down again. As far as she knew, there wasn't a pride here, but it seemed strange for a lioness to be living out here on her own. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. It wasn't really important, and she was hungry too. They'd probably run into her later anyway.

* * *

Laini drew lines in the dust on the cave floor with a claw, only half-listening to her parents' words. Her training to be queen wasn't as interesting as she had imagined it to be. She wished she had gone on the hunt with all the others. Tamaa was probably having a great time. She looked up as a shadow fell across her drawing. She and her parents lived in the central cave, which was where pride members and visitors consulted with them. She squinted, trying to see who it was.

"My name is Makali," the hyena said, stepping further into the cave. "I request an audience with the king and queen." The hyena was large and powerful-looking, with a formal, almost regal voice. "I hope that is not too much trouble," she said, bowing slightly.

"No trouble at all," Laini's mother said, though Laini noticed that her mother was now on her guard, her claws unsheathed. "What would you like to speak about?"

"If it's about the lack of food, don't bother," her father said gruffly. "We have to deal with that too, you know." He stood up, eyeing Makali warily.

"No, your majesty," Makali said. "This is a question of morality." The hyena looked at each one of them before speaking, her penetrating eyes inspecting each of their faces. Laini shuddered inwardly; she didn't trust this hyena at all. "Do you remember the day your pride first came to Mapango Valley?" As she waited for an answer, she looked at Laini once more. "That was before your time, Princess."

The queen spoke up. "We did what we had to do," she said, an edge of anger behind her words. "There was no other place we could go." Laini didn't know what her mother was talking about; she had assumed their pride had lived here their whole lives.

"So you do remember," Makali said. A line of hyenas appeared behind her, growling threateningly. Laini stood up, backing toward the wall. "Yet I see no remembrance in your eyes, no remorse. No recollection of the innocent blood you shed. No reminiscence of my clan members, whom you slaughtered simply because there was nowhere else you could go. Only fear." She stepped forward once more. "Fear of me? Fear for your lives?" She shook her head. "Both of those fears are selfish. But then again, what else is to be expected from you?"

"We weren't thinking then," the king said, stepping toward the hyena, his body shielding Laini from the rest of the clan. "We were starving, we needed sanctuary." He stared at the hyenas behind her. "If any lives were taken, it was out of self-defense. Don't do this, please."

"Now I ask you, clan members: Is this any justification?" Makali had turned from Laini and her family to the other hyenas, still in the entrance of the cave. "Do these reasons explain away the pride's intrusion in our valley, their capture of our caves, the slaughter of our family?" The hyenas raised their voices in dissent, their eyes livid. "I thought not."

"Please, show some kindness toward us," said the queen, her voice shaking. "Forget what we did that day. Forgive us. It was in the past. Holding on to it won't do either of us any good." Laini didn't know what to think. She was scared of the hyenas, and of what would happen to her parents and herself. But she couldn't believe the things Makali was saying her pride had done. She pressed herself against the wall, her heart pounding in her chest.

"From the day that you decimated my clan, a fire has been burning in the spirit of each of us," Makali said, still sounding as calm as she had when she'd entered. "Over the years, it has grown into a mighty inferno. And with this conflagration, we shall repay you for what you have done." The other hyenas advanced to where she was standing, sadistic grins on their faces. "We did not forget," she said, "and we cannot forgive." The hyenas sprang forward, and all Laini could do was stare in numb shock.

* * *

Siri padded silently through the grass just outside the jungle, searching for a meal. She knew that she wasn't a very good hunter; it was Hifadhi who had made most of the kills. He'd tried to teach her when she was growing up, but she had never really gotten the hang of it. Most of the animals she brought down were old or injured; the zebra she had caught the day before had just been a stroke of luck. She knew that if Tamaa were with her, she would be telling her to stop thinking like that and just concentrate, so she crouched lower to the ground, her eyes scanning the field.

Suddenly, her ears pricked up as she heard a voice from behind her. Turning around nervously, she saw two lions some distance away. They had apparently just brought down something and were gathered around it, preparing to eat. "Great job, Nala," said the male. Siri unsheathed her claws. One of the things Tamaa had impressed upon her from cubhood was "Don't trust anyone you don't already know". When she was growing up, both Tamaa and Hifadhi had barely let her out of their sight. These warnings made Siri wary of the thought of two strange lions in her home, and she crept back into the confines of the jungle.

Peering through a screen of leaves, she stared at the intruders. The male had a bright yellow pelt and a red mane, while the lioness called Nala had fur of a light beige. She watched them eat until her courage ran out, and then turned away, hoping they hadn't noticed her. As she made her way back to her cave, the thought of a meal all but forgotten, she wondered what she was going to do. She decided that she would stay away from them until they left. Tamaa wouldn't have trusted them, and neither would she.

* * *

A/N: This chapter took a while to write, especially in those scenes that I mentioned at the beginning. There are going to be a few more in the next chapter wrapping the thing with the hyenas up.

Random fact here, but I was originally going to have Makali be kind of a generic hyena, nothing really different. Then I thought of how, in the movie, none of the hyenas had even seemed to think about all coming over to the Pridelands at once until Scar told them his plan. That made me think that with an intelligent hyena in charge, they'd be more threatening than they were portrayed throughout most of the movie.

Anyway, reviews would make me really happy! The next chapter probably won't be up for a while; I have a lot of schoolwork and stuff. Still, I'll see ya then!


	4. Chance Encounter

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's been reading this so far. Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to leave a review. I don't really have anything to say this time, so I'll just cut to the chase.

* * *

_Chance Encounter_

As the sun set on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange, Siri finally ventured out from her cave. Glancing around carefully, she sighed in relief and descended the hilly slope leading back to the jungle. She had remained in the cave for most of the day, turning over what she had seen in her mind. These lions hadn't seemed dangerous, but as Tamaa had told her, you can never be too sure. She was sure they'd be somewhere else by now, though, and looked forward to finally finding a meal.

She carefully stalked through the undergrowth just at the border, her eyes searching the area for any other sign of life in the fading light. The wind softly blew, and Siri instantly became alert as a new smell was brought to her on the current. She turned around carefully, and saw a solitary antelope grazing. The animal was old and frail-looking, and paid no attention to the lioness several meters away. After waiting several seconds, just to be sure, Siri dashed forward, her heart pounding in her chest.

The antelope turned at the last possible second, but Siri had already pinned it to the ground. She quickly pressed her teeth to the familiar area on its neck, ending its life. Unconsciously, she ripped off a piece of flesh, setting it aside. She tore into the carcass, barely bothering to chew it before swallowing. It was almost completely dark now, and she hated not being in her cave at night.

When she had finished, a pang of sadness hit her as she saw the meat she had set aside. There was no one she could give it to. Her eyes burned as she turned away, even though she knew that had Tamaa been with her, she would have laughed. Siri could almost hear her now: "Normally I'd tell you to grow up. But if a piece of meat causes you to break down, you're _beyond_ hope."

She shook her head. Forget the past, that was what she needed to do. Turning away from the carcass, she headed deeper into the jungle. Getting some water might help clear her thoughts.

* * *

Simba's eyes opened suddenly, and he quickly stood up, alert. What had caused him to wake up? He looked from side to side, but saw nothing. _You're just being paranoid_, he thought. He and Nala had gone to sleep in an unfamiliar part of the jungle; the trip to get there had tired them out more than they'd noticed at the time. Now, though, he felt nervous and on edge. Trying to calm himself, he looked at his mate sleeping by his side.

Nala was smiling slightly, her forelegs still stretched out in the place he had occupied only moments before. The dappled moonlight gave her fur a strange appearance: dark in some places, shining silver in others. As he looked on her lovingly, his ears pricked up at another sound. It was unmistakable this time: something was moving through the undergrowth. Again he admonished himself. He was behaving like he had when Kiara was a cub; he needed to relax.

Simba carefully walked away from Nala and headed deeper into the jungle, stopping at the nearest pool of water he could find. As he drank, his thoughts wandered back to the Pridelands. How were Kiara and Kovu doing? What if a problem came up? He looked up at the stars, where he knew Mufasa was watching over his pride. He smiled slightly. They'd be fine. This thought calmed him down, and as he headed back to Nala, even the rustle of leaves close by wasn't enough to disturb him. That is, until he saw something in the corner of his eye.

He turned back, and saw what Nala had seen on the log those few hours ago. A lioness was making her way to the pool of water, casting nervous glances with every step she took. The water was in a fairly open clearing, and with the light from the moon he could make her out clearly. She seemed to be in early adulthood, with long limbs and slightly scruffy fur. Her fur was, like Nala had said, a pale shade of orange. He stepped forward, wondering why she seemed so jumpy.

At that moment she turned around, her dull blue eyes growing large at the sight of him. Slowly she backed away, as though he were hunting and she was the prey. "Wait, don't go," he said suddenly. This seemed to alarm the lioness even more, and she bolted away. He watched her leave until the trees obscured his view. Why had she fled? He yawned, deciding he could speak to Nala about it in the morning. Taking one more glance at where she had run, he turned, pushing this question out of his mind for the time being.

* * *

Tamaa crouched low to the ground, following the lead of the rest of the pride. A lone zebra was drinking from the waterhole, unaware of the lions slowly surrounding it. Hifadhi suddenly pounced by its side, startling it. This was only a diversion, intending to lure the zebra in the direction of the hunt's leader. The zebra bounded past her, however, as she was staring in the opposite direction. "Look," she gasped, "hyenas at the caves!"

Tamaa whipped around, her eyes widening. As if by an unspoken agreement, the pride raced across the valley, knowing that something was definitely wrong. The clan of hyenas was guarding the caves as they reached them, leering at the pride with joy in their eyes. She felt her father's paw on her shoulder as he pushed her behind him, shielding her from the clan. "No matter what, don't say or do anything," he whispered. From the central cave a hyena emerged, walking with more dignity than normally expected from a member of that species.

"Your king and queen are dead," she said, walking closer until she was a few feet from the pride. "Mapango Valley is ours once more. I am Makali, the matriarch of this clan. Some of you may have foolish notions of fighting us." She looked into their faces, as though searching for agreement. "They all shall fail. As you can clearly see," she continued, gesturing to the clan with a paw, "you are greatly outnum--"

At that moment, the leader of the hunting party struck Makali across the jaw. The hyena matriarch slammed into the ground from the force of the blow. Several of the clan members formed a circle around her, growling with teeth bared. After a few seconds she stood back up, motioning to the other hyenas to move away. The hyenas then moved to line up in front of the pride, separating the lions from the matriarch. Hifadhi and several other pride members instinctively backed up, expecting an attack. But Makali faced them as calmly as if nothing had happened. "It seems as though my words are not enough for you. I am sorry it has to come to this." She turned to the central cave. "Bring her out."

At these words, a group of hyenas emerged from the cave, walking until they were a few feet from Makali. In the center of them stood Laini, looking downward at her paws. As soon as the hyenas surrounding her came to a stop, she slashed at the faces of the nearest ones, trying to make an opening in the circle. The matriarch looked at them steadily for a few seconds before speaking again. "Restrain her."

Two of the hyenas that had come to Makali's defense now moved toward the princess, expertly pinning her to the ground. For several seconds, no one made a move. Tamaa watched in fear, feeling sick to her stomach. "Hifadhi, do something," she whispered frantically. "You can't let them kill her!"

"We can't do anything," he said. He looked at her, his face twisted in sadness and anger. "If any one of us tries to be a hero right now, they'll kill us all." He pulled her to him. "I care about you too much for that to happen." Tamaa looked at the rest of the pride, at their faces set in what seemed like both outrage and resignation. She felt like Laini: trapped.

Laini was pleading with the hyenas holding her down, her breathing ragged. "Please," she said, "please, don't do this, please. I did-- I didn't do anything to--"

Makali watched the scene coldly. "Silence her." At that moment, one of the hyenas that had led her out of the cave walked up to the princess. Tamaa looked away, retching as the hyena's jaws clamped around Laini's throat, crushing her windpipe. Hifadhi breathed heavily, wanting to attack the hyenas but knowing that Makali was right: they had no chance. The matriarch turned back to the pride, an air of triumph in her voice. "Such will be your lot, and that of your cubs, if you attempt to defy us. My clan has been awaiting this day for years, and we have no desire to engage in another conflict with you."

"What are we supposed to do?" asked the leader of the hunting party, her voice choked. "Where are we going to go?" She bent her head, tears running down her face and landing in the dirt below.

Tamaa didn't know what to think; the strongest lioness she'd ever known looked utterly defeated. She instinctively unsheathed her claws, her sadness and shock replaced by rage. She would have liked nothing better than to run up to the matriarch and tear her throat out. But Hifadhi was still holding her to him, and all she could do was look on in fury.

"I thought it might come to this," Makali said, her face betraying no emotion, but her eyes glowing with pleasure. "If there is one thing I pride myself on, it is my foresight. You have three possible options. The first is to accept our control of Mapango Valley and live under our command." Several hyenas grinned, their eyes filled with anticipation. "The second is to leave this place and allow us to rule unchallenged." The hyena looked toward Laini's body, then back to the pride. "The third is to rebel against us, in a battle you will surely lose. Which path you take is your own decision; I am merely stating facts." She glanced up at the sun. "Time is passing; we shall leave you now to decide for yourselves." With that the matriarch reentered the cave, her clan following behind.

Tamaa watched the lions around her, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Her head felt as though it were spinning. "Hifadhi, what are we gonna do?" He looked down at her, shaking his head dolefully.

"I wish I knew."

* * *

"Why do you think she ran away?" Nala asked as they walked by the pool of water where Simba had seen the lioness from the night before. She gave him a mock-serious face. "You didn't start some 'King of Pride Rock' spiel on her, did you?"

He rolled his eyes. "I didn't say anything to her. She just ran as soon as she saw me." He paused for a second, reflecting over the incident. "Now that I think about it, she looked nervous before she even knew I was there."

"How do you mean, nervous?" she asked. She bent down to take a drink.

"It was like she looked around for every step she took," Simba said. "She probably doesn't know this jungle too well; maybe she thought she'd get attacked." Nala looked up, licking droplets of water from her lips.

"I think we should try and find her," she said. "It can't be good for her to stress herself out like that." She started walking again, falling into step next to Simba. "We each saw her in less than twenty-four hours; I'm sure we'll run into her again."

"Probably sooner than you think," he said, looking through the trees. Nala followed his gaze in time to see a pale orange streak weaving through the jungle; possibly hunting. She put a paw in front of her mate to stop him from moving any closer.

"Stay here," she said. "I want to go see if I can talk to her." Before he could say anything in response, she was already off. He dropped to his side by the water, looking at his reflection. If the lioness acted the same way around her as she had to him, this probably wouldn't take long at all.

* * *

The moon had risen over Mapango Valley and the stars were just beginning to come out, but none of the pride noticed. They were sitting far away from the caves and the hyenas, trying to figure out a course of action. While some of the other cubs were talking amongst themselves, Tamaa paid rapt attention to every word the adults were saying. She had hoped that her pride would try to rebel against the hyenas, but she had come to accept that it would be simply impossible. Her rage against Makali had still not abated, however, and occasionally she would stare back at the caves with hatred in her eyes.

"The best option we have is to leave," Hifadhi said resolutely. "In fact, it's really our only option. Do you really want these hyenas in charge? We'll all starve." Tamaa agreed with her father, but it seemed like no one else in the pride did. He looked from face to face, but found no approval. "And do you really think we'd be able to drive them out? Even if we managed to get Makali alone to kill her, which is _highly_ unlikely, there are still too many of them."

"But don't you remember when we first came here?" asked the leader of the hunting party. "There wasn't anything but dried-up land and hostile prides for miles around. You think things've changed by now? " Her voice was hoarse and desperate. The other members of the pride seemed to agree with her, nodding emphatically.

"Those were only the lands to the north," Hifadhi stated. "We've never tried going south, and if we find a pride that'll give us sanctuary--"

"I'd rather stay here under the hyenas than starve in the wilderness," said the hunting party leader. "If you leave, you'll regret it. You'll put Tamaa in danger." She looked at the cub pityingly.

Tamaa growled inwardly. Did they really think she was helpless just because she was younger? "I don't care," she said to her, standing up. "He's my father, and I'll go wherever he does. I'm ready to leave right now."

"You don't know what you're saying," the lioness began. "If you just sit down and think for a moment--"

"I'll want to leave even more," she said desperately. She looked at the pride. "How can you do this to yourselves? You'll be like _slaves_! I think Hifadhi's right, maybe we can find someplace better to live if we just--"

At that moment Hifadhi stood up, surveying the pride. "Is there anyone here who agrees to leave the valley and start a new life someplace else?" He was met only with stares and dead silence. He turned to his daughter. "Then Tamaa and I are leaving now. If there's one thing I'm not going to do, it's put my cub through hell out of fear for my own life." He walked some distance away, and Tamaa ran to catch up with him.

As they walked down the valley toward the south, Hifadhi paused. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. He looked at her solemnly, his eyes locked on hers. "I can't promise we'll find somewhere safe. If you think you'd be safer here--"

"No," she said. "I'd rather be anywhere than here." She'd never been so sure about anything in her entire life. And as they left the borders of the valley into unknown territory, neither looked back.

* * *

Siri watched the zebra herd through the swaying grasses. This was only practice; she wasn't actually intending to kill them. Her goal was simply to see how close she could get to them without them noticing. She only hoped that the wind wouldn't carry her scent over to them. One tilted its head in her direction, and she ducked down as quickly as she could, hoping she hadn't been seen.

After waiting a minute or so, she began striding forward again. Her eyes kept tilting from the ground to the herd, knowing that even stepping on a small twig might alert them to her presence. Soon she was close, much closer than she had gotten before. She watched them cautiously, wondering if she should spring forward to begin the next step in her practice. Her question was answered as the wind shifted and the zebras noticed the lioness behind them.

The next second they were off and running, with Siri lunging behind. This was the hardest part in her practice; running quickly exhausted her. This time, though, she seemed to be doing fairly well. As she turned sharply to the left, however, one of her back legs caught on a root. She fell forward, banging her head on the ground. By the time she got up, the zebras were long gone. "Are you all right?" came a voice from behind her.

Siri turned around, completely shocked. It was the lioness she had seen the day before, Nala. Her first impulse was to run, for the lioness looked like a natural huntress: sleek and powerful. Nala seemed to have noticed her fear, however, for she held up a paw.

"Don't run away," she said softly. "I'm not going to hurt you." She smiled. "I'm Nala. What's your name?"

"I'm Siri," she said warily. She still wasn't sure what to think; except for her family, she had never come across other lions before.

"Maybe we should go back to the jungle," Nala said. "I don't think you'll have much luck hunting right now." She walked forward, then stopped and looked back. "Don't worry, Siri," she said. "You can trust me completely."

* * *

A/N: I hope this chapter didn't come off as too awkward. Any reviews or crits would be great. I guess I'll see you next time!


	5. In the Back of Her Mind

A/N: Man, it's been a while, hasn't it? I've had a lot of schoolwork and stuff like that (including this big project that I put off until the day before it was due; yeah, I'm a procrastinator), but I hope to have the next chapter up pretty soon. This chapter will probably wrap up the whole "Tamaa's backstory" thing. Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

_In the Back of Her Mind_

Simba got to his paws as he heard his mate's familiar tread. He turned around to greet her, realizing that she had probably been unsuccessful in speaking to the stranger. This feeling changed to surprise as the other lioness emerged from the trees, just a few paces behind Nala. She didn't look as skittish as she had the night before, but her eyes flicked warily from side to side, as though expecting an ambush. "Simba, this is Siri," Nala said. "Siri, this is my mate, Simba."

"It's nice to meet you," Siri said. She seemed to avoid looking straight at him, keeping her gaze fixed on the ground. Simba noticed that her claws were extended, though whether out of fear or instinct he couldn't be sure.

"It's great meeting you, too," he replied, taking a step closer in a casual manner. The lioness immediately stepped backwards, her pupils dilated. "Is something wrong?"

Siri's ears drooped slightly. "I'm sorry," she murmured, tilting her head closer to the ground. "I'm really sorry. It's just that I can't-- I'm just too nervous--" Again she took a step backwards, returning to the cover of the trees. "I just really don't know how I can speak to you."

Nala turned in her direction, speaking in a coaxing tone. "It's okay," she said. "Nothing's going to happen to you. Honest." Siri stayed where she was, but lifted her head higher, shaking it once.

"It's not that," she said, her voice barely audible. "I want to trust you... but I can't seem to let myself." She paused, her eyes fixed to the ground once more. Finally she looked up, and seemed to steel herself. She walked several steps forward, then stopped suddenly, breathing heavily. Her head was turned away from Simba and Nala, her tail swishing from side to side in her agitation. "I'm sorry."

"Did you come from another pride or something?" Simba asked. "You don't have to worry; I'm almost positive there's nothing dangerous here." Siri shook her head. "Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said. "Really." She turned to Nala, trying to keep a steady gaze. She took another deep breath. "I'll be all right. You shouldn't bother yourselves about me," she finished, her voice shaking slightly on the last few words.

Nala began slowly moving forward, stopping a few feet from the distressed lioness. "We're just worried," she said. "Whatever's wrong, you'll only make it worse by stressing yourself out. Trust me; I know." Siri swallowed, her breathing returning to a more normal rate. Her eyes were still turned away from the other lions, but she seemed visibly calmer.

"Thanks, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help me. I'm just...wasting your time," she said nervously. "I should leave now." Simba watched as his mate moved forward again, so close that he began to think the other lioness might run away.

"You're not wasting my time," Nala said, placing a paw on top of one of hers. "I don't want to see you like this; I want to help you." Siri turned to face her, apprehensive but attentive. "Let's just stay here for a little bit. We don't even have to talk if you don't want to."

The lioness looked down again, apparently in deep thought. She unconsciously extended and retracted her claws, her tail shaking up dust behind her. Finally she looked up, inhaling deeply. "Okay," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "If it's all right with you."

* * *

Simba left shortly after that, volunteering to catch a meal for both of them. Siri felt slightly relieved that he had left; his presence had intimidated her. Besides, being alone with Nala was just as nerve-wracking anyway. The one comfort was that since he had left, neither of them had attempted to say a word to each other. She wasn't sure her nerves could take that; her heart was still pounding against her chest.

She walked over to the pool of water and took a long drink, pausing occasionally to look at her reflection. Her eyes were much wider than usual, and every muscle felt tense. In her mind, she knew she could trust these lions. But her body wouldn't allow her to; her instincts had been finely tuned by Tamaa's warnings about not trusting others. Every cell was aching for her to run away, but she knew that she couldn't now. She had been seen, and they would surely cross paths again.

Siri sighed, collapsing by the edge of the water. Her head was aching and she felt nauseous. She closed her eyes, knowing that Nala was looking on in concern. What would Tamaa or Hifadhi have done in this situation? She groaned. Thinking of them only made her feel worse. Like a mantra she repeated Tamaa's words. _Forget the past, forget the past._ She turned her attention to the present, wondering about Simba and Nala.

Why were they here, and how long would they stay? Would they stay forever? All she knew of other lions was limited to the rare story Tamaa would tell of her cubhood and the hunting lessons Hifadhi had given her. Was it normal for this lioness to be worried about her, or did she have an ulterior motive? _Don't think like that_, she reprimanded herself. She tried concentrating on just the facts. Nala had seemed genuinely willing to help. Like she'd said, she had been in a situation like Siri's before. But would Tamaa have trusted her?

Simba had barely spoken to her, but he'd seemed friendly. Why did thinking of him make her feel defensive and on her guard, then? Maybe it was his appearance, with powerful limbs and a confident manner. Hifadhi, a powerful hunter, had had similar traits, and she knew that he would have scared her at first had she not known him. She shook her head; it was something else. What was it about Simba that intimidated her so much?

Suddenly her eyes opened in realization. Simba-- did it have something to do with his name? She'd been afraid of him and Nala from the first time she'd laid eyes on them, but her body had seemed to freeze up when Nala introduced him. This made even less sense, though. Had she heard it somewhere before?

Rolling onto her side, Siri thought hard, scanning the recesses of her memory. She knew that, until the day before, she had never seen this lion in her life. Maybe she was only imagining things, trying to justify this irrational fear. But whatever the reason was, his name seemed strangely familiar.

* * *

As he looked over at Tamaa, Hifadhi could hardly believe how much she had changed since leaving Mapango Valley. The adolescent lioness seemed to grow every day, her limbs seeming even longer because of her lithe frame. Her appearance was not the only difference, though, for at times the subtle change in her personality would momentarily surprise him. She had never been an idealist, even as a cub, but she now seemed to view the world through more jaded eyes. It was rare to hear her speak with no bitterness in her voice, and even rarer for her to initiate a conversation. Hifadhi knew, however, that he had also not gone unchanged. The days of unending travel wore on him, making his temper shorter and his thoughts darker. Sometimes he even imagined returning to the valley and submitting to the leadership of the hyenas.

He surveyed the surrounding land, keeping an eye out for prey. The leader of the hunting party had been partially correct: for miles around the valley, the land was dry and desolate. It was a challenge to find food, and some days they had to go without. But wherever they traveled, they could find no other prides, hostile or otherwise, that could give them sanctuary. The two were forced to walk daily under an unrelenting sun, at the worst of times feeling as though they were the only ones on the face of the earth. Hifadhi thought that the best thing for both of them would be to find a place where they could stay for more than just a few days, and live in peace.

He sighed in relief as they reached a long stretch of dry grass. Something was bound to be grazing there, and perhaps they could find a waterhole as well. "I'll hunt this time," Tamaa said, knowing what he was thinking. If there was one good thing that had come out of this, it was how well they had gotten to know each other. "I need some more practice anyway." She had taught herself to hunt by watching Hifadhi, and she was at least a decent huntress, if slightly awkward.

"All right," he said, dropping onto his side. He pushed his mane out of his eyes and watched his daughter search, barely noticeable in the tall grass. His thoughts began to drift back to Mapango Valley and the rest of his pride. Tamaa never spoke of what had happened their last day there, but he knew that she thought of it too. It had been a while since they'd left; maybe the pride had managed to drive out the hyenas. He shook his head, knowing that that was just wishful thinking. There was no way of knowing anyway. His thoughts were interrupted by his daughter calling him.

"Hifadhi, come here!" she called, a rare note of happiness in her voice. "You _gotta_ see this!" He walked in the direction of her voice, assuming she had managed to bring down a large kill. As he reached the small rise on which she was standing, his eyes grew large in surprise. He could see a stretch of green in the distance, close enough that they might be able to reach it by the next day. All he could do was stare, half-expecting it to fade away like a mirage. "Isn't this great?" Tamaa asked, obviously not expecting an answer. As they both looked at the edge of the jungle with relief and longing, he smiled. It seemed like things were finally looking up.

* * *

Simba emerged from the trees, trying to get a glimpse of the two lionesses before they noticed him. Nala was sitting in the shade, glancing in Siri's direction, while Siri was sprawled by the pool of water. It didn't seem as though either of them had spoken to the other since he'd left. "Hey," he called, "I just caught something."

His mate immediately stood up, but Siri stayed where she was. "Don't worry; I'm sure there's enough for you, too," Nala told her. The other lioness shook her head.

"I'm not hungry," she replied. Nala shrugged and walked over to Simba. The two of them didn't begin speaking until they were just outside the jungle, where a zebra carcass lay. Before they began eating, he looked at her inquisitively.

"Did she say anything?" he asked. Nala shook her head.

"She stayed by the water the whole time," she replied. "At first I thought I'd try to talk to her, but she looked so worried that I thought it might only make things worse." She tore off a piece of meat. "What do you think's the matter with her?"

Simba bent down to take a bite of meat before he spoke. "To tell you the truth, I have no clue. At first I thought she could've been a nomad and was just a little scared, but she said she wasn't from another pride." He swallowed, then looked up. "Do you think it might be just us? Maybe she's not used to other lions." The two thought over this question for a while as they ate in silence.

Nala looked up from her meal. "I just thought of something," she said. "Right before you went hunting, while I was talking to her, I noticed this burn on her shoulder. And that reminded me of when I first saw her coming out of that destroyed part of the jungle." She paused as though thinking over her words. "Maybe that used to be her home. Maybe she's afraid we're trying to take over where she lives now, too."

"Hmm, maybe," Simba replied. He pushed aside a piece of meat. "We should take this back to her. She was probably too nervous to come out with us." He turned to Nala. "Do you think we'll ever find out why she's so scared?"

"Probably not," she replied. "It doesn't seem like she'll be telling us anything anytime soon." The lions headed back into the jungle, Simba carrying the meat in his mouth. Siri was now lying in the shade, her eyes partway closed. She opened them with a start as Simba dropped the meat in front of her.

"I thought you might be a little hungry," he said, smiling gently. She looked up at him, but seemed less frightened this time. She was scanning his face with a bemused expression, as though trying to place it. Suddenly she looked away and pulled the meat closer to her, her body tense once more.

"Thanks," she said, "but I... think I might eat it later." She yawned and stretched out her forelegs as she said this, giving Simba a chance to see the burn on her shoulder. "I'm kind of tired."

Simba looked up at the sun, still high in the sky. "This early in the afternoon?" Siri nodded slowly.

"I barely got any sleep at all last night." Simba wondered if that was because she had gotten worked up by seeing him the night before, but didn't ask. He wanted to say something friendly or reassuring, but knew that she still didn't completely trust him. All he could do was nod before turning away, wondering if there was anything he could do to help.

Siri laid her head down on her paws, still wondering about Simba. Where had she heard of him? She closed her eyes, feeling completely exhausted. She wanted nothing more at the time than to relax. She'd think about this later.

* * *

A firefly glided just over the ground, the light from its bulb shining like a star. Before it could come to a stop on a blade of grass, however, an orange paw swiped at it. It took flight once more, trying to avoid the paws of the lioness cub. Even though it was now high above her head, Siri still chased it, laughing playfully.

Hifadhi watched from several feet away, smiling. He still couldn't believe he had a granddaughter. He turned to Tamaa, who was glaring in her daughter's direction. "I was thinking I might take her with me tomorrow, while I hunt," he said. Tamaa's countenance remained stony. "Is that all right with you?"

"Could you stop doing that?" she growled. As she spoke she unsheathed her claws, digging them into the ground. "You're not fooling anyone." She looked at him coldly, her eyes seeming to radiate anger.

"Doing what?" he asked. Tamaa sighed, giving him an annoyed expression. "You don't need to be so vague, you know. Just tell me." Siri had since abandoned the firefly and had come up next to them. Neither lion noticed in the darkening twilight.

"Stop acting like we're all some big damn happy family!" In her anger she slashed at a tree with her good arm, tearing off long strips of bark. Siri moved away as her mother did it again, seeming to get angrier and angrier. "You think this is normal? You think Siri's gonna grow up like a lioness from a _real_ pride?"

"I'm trying to make the best out of this situation," Hifadhi replied. "Not everyone has to be a cynic, you know." He shook his head. "You're overreacting. Things aren't as bad right now as you make them out to be."

Tamaa had stopped slashing at the trees by now, but there seemed to be an almost tangible rage surrounding her. She looked into his eyes. "Yes they are, Hifadhi. They _are_." Her voice was lower now, an edge of anger still present. "This isn't fair; this isn't right for her. If it wasn't for Simba she wouldn't be living like this!" Again she lashed out with her claws, causing Siri to move farther away into the trees. She hated when her mother got like that, but there was nothing she could do.

* * *

Siri's head instantly shot up from her paws. She had almost forgotten about that night, remembering it only when she passed the trees that still bore the scars left by Tamaa's claws. The events of the past few days had made her forget it almost completely. Her heart began beating heavily again as she panted, her thoughts spinning.

Was Simba the name of her father? She had never known him; it was simply another item on the list of things Tamaa didn't talk about. But what had her mother meant, "living like this"? She suddenly inhaled sharply. What if the lion from today, _this_ Simba, was her father? She stood up abruptly, her body shaking slightly.

It was late afternoon by now, and the shadows on the jungle floor were beginning to lengthen. She was surprised to find Simba and Nala still by the pool of water, talking to each other. She walked over to them, taking slow, deep breaths. "Simba, could you come over here a second? There's something I want to ask you."

* * *

A/N: Wow, this was the hardest chapter to write so far, and it's not even as long as some of the others. As usual, I'd appreciate any reviews! I'll see you next time (which hopefully won't be that far away).


	6. You Can't Forget the Past

A/N: Sorry if it's been a while; something came up every day that I planned to write this chapter. And this is the one I said I'd update soon, isn't it? Anyway, I swear the next chapter will be up a lot sooner than this was. Please forgive any errors, because it seems like the spell-check on my computer isn't working. I hope you enjoy this, and that you'll tell me what you think!

* * *

_You Can't Forget the Past_

Simba looked over questioningly at Nala before getting up from his position on the grass. She only smiled in response, nodding her head. "It's all right with me," she said lightly. "I'll wait for you." As he walked closer to Siri, he knew that Nala was also wondering what she wanted to ask him. Maybe they'd find out what was troubling her, although he knew not to get his hopes up.

Siri turned as he reached her side and began walking deeper into the jungle. She seemed calmer now, but still looked from side to side warily as she went further into the trees. Simba followed, keeping up with her until they were out of Nala's hearing. The young lioness kept her eyes fixed to the ground, breathing heavily. "I'm not really sure how to say this," she began nervously.

"That's okay," he replied, though her statement had further piqued his curiosity. He sat down a few feet away from her. "Take as long as you want."

She took one more deep breath, then looked up with a determined expression. "Well, this morning," she began, making an effort to look in his eyes, "when I met you, you seemed-- well, your name sounded kind of familiar. At first I wondered where I'd heard it before."

Simba nodded, knowing that saying anything in response to Siri would only disrupt her stream of thought. He ran over the situation in his mind. The jungle was far enough away from the Pridelands that it seemed unlikely that Siri would have known of the king and queen, although it had been years since he had set paw there himself. He snapped back to attention when he heard her speak again, her voice quavering slightly.

"Then I remembered," she said. "When I was a cub, my mother said that-- I mean, she mentioned your name. I'd almost forgotten about that until-- until today. But she's dead now." Simba thought back to the burned trees he had seen from the log the day before, putting the pieces together in his mind. He knew from experience that being suddenly alone would make anyone feel helpless. "So," the lioness continued, "I was wondering if you... ever knew her. Her name was Tamaa."

* * *

The adolescent lion sighed as he collapsed onto his side by the waterfall, pushing his growing mane away from his face. Despite the company of Timon and Pumbaa, he had begun to feel more and more lonely as the days went by. He thought about the pride on a daily basis, wondering what they were doing back at Pride Rock. These thoughts only made him remember how he could never go back; they probably hated him by this time anyway. Yet they came into his mind nonetheless, and try as he might, his mind kept returning to the others. Zazu, Sarabi, Nala....

Nala. Had he even really appreciated her back then? He remembered her bravery, her sense of humor, and all the little details that seemed to come into his mind these days when he wasn't expecting them. What was she like now? Sometimes he tried to picture her at his age, with her light fur and blue-green eyes, but each time it was hopeless. All he could see was her face as a cub, shocked at the revelation that he had killed his own father.

He sighed, standing and bending down to take a drink. His thoughts were shattered as he heard a voice from behind him. "Whoa, I never knew there were other lions here!"

Simba turned around as the speaker emerged from the trees. An adolescent lioness stood before him, with fur of a dusty shade of yellow and hooded eyes like those of his uncle, Scar. "Neither did I," he said, slightly surprised at her sudden appearance. He assumed she'd come from a different area of the jungle. "Do you live here?"

"Guess so," she replied. "I came here with my father, from another pride. Been here a while now." She began drinking from the flowing water, then looked up curiously. "How about you?"

Simba didn't feel like getting into details, especially not with someone he'd just met. Even Timon and Pumbaa didn't know why he'd come to the jungle in the first place. "Yeah," he said, "I came from somewhere else too." Quick to change the subject, he said, "I'm Simba. What's your name?"

"Tamaa," she said. For a moment they stared at each other awkwardly, neither saying anything. Tamaa was the first one to break the silence. "_So_," she said casually, drawing out the word, "you do anything around here?"

He used to when he first came to the jungle as a cub; everything had seemed new and exciting to him then. But now nothing seemed very interesting anymore, and whenever he hung around with Timon and Pumbaa he felt strangely detached. "I go hunting sometimes," he replied.

She laughed. "Pretty much all there is to do around here, isn't it? I was about to go hunt myself." Simba watched as she walked closer to the waterfall, running her claws down one of the stones by its side. "It's kinda dry back near my cave; seems like everything's moved on." As she finished, she bent closer to the ground, already prepared for the hunt. He immediately dashed in front of her, blocking her path.

"Not here," he said in a low voice. "I don't want Timon and Pumbaa to see you." Tamaa looked at him confusedly, her light-blue eyes narrowed.

"Who are they?" she asked. "Other lions?"

He shook his head. "No," he replied, "a meerkat and warthog. They're my friends here. They expect me to survive by just eating bugs, but I go hunting for myself whenever I can get away." He turned to the opposite direction. "In short, they'd go crazy if they knew there were other lions here. The safest place for hunting would be this way." He headed off in that direction, Tamaa following.

Over the next few days, the two of them frequently hunted together. In some ways, such as her bravery and headstrong personality, Tamaa reminded Simba of Nala. Yet she was temperamental and sarcastic, and at times even downright caustic. Still, she was the only lion he had seen for quite a while, and he was grateful for her company. He had hoped that he'd be able to forget about the Pridelands eventually, and Tamaa was definitely helping.

* * *

Siri watched Simba's eyes grow large, realizing that whoever he was, he had definitely known her mother. But now she wasn't sure of what to say, and looked back to the ground. He looked at her curiously. "Did she ever say anything else about me?" She shook her head.

"No, that was all. So, well... did you know her for very long?" She had another question on her mind, but knew it was one she could never ask. There was no possible way she could ask this lion if he was her father. However, a quick glance at Simba's countenance revealed that he was thinking the same thing. His expression had changed from one of friendly welcome to shock and slight repulsion.

Despite this, his bearing and speech seemed as calm as before as he replied, "No. I really only knew her for a few weeks. But we were pretty close; if I'd known her longer we might have even become mates." Simba's eyes were unfocused, as though he were dredging up some almost-forgotten memory. "One day something happened, though, a misunderstanding, and Tamaa got mad. She left me, and after that, I never saw her again." He looked at Siri for several seconds before continuing. "You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?" She nodded.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't have even brought this up." Simba shook his head.

"Don't be," he replied gently. He made a motion to move closer to her, but she only stepped away. "Because the truth is, I don't know. You could be my, well...." He still seemed shocked over what she had told him, and didn't finish the sentence. "But then, you might not be, either. I have no idea what Tamaa did after leaving me." Simba lifted a paw, seemingly about to place it on Siri's shoulder, but couldn't do it. "This isn't your fault, though. Don't worry."

"But Nala... what will you say to her?" She couldn't help feeling as though she had made things worse than they had been before, and she had no idea how Nala would react. Simba tried to smile encouragingly.

"I'll just tell her the truth," he replied. And with that he walked out of the slowly darkening section of jungle into the clearing where Nala waited. Siri stayed where she was, wanting to see what would happen but too nervous to actually do it. She couldn't purge the thought from her mind that she had made a bad situation even worse.

* * *

Nala turned from the pool of water as Simba approached, squinting to see him in the darkening light. Although it was hard to tell, he seemed nervous about something. As she walked up to him, she tried turning over in her mind what it could be. He hadn't been gone very long, after all. "What's wrong?" she asked, nuzzling against his side. He looked down at her as though still choosing his words.

"It's about Siri," he said, sighing. "Back when I was living here, before I saw you again, I knew a lioness. It wasn't for a very long time, but we were pretty good friends. She's dead by now, and I haven't thought of her for years, but her name was Tamaa. And she was, well... Siri's mother." Nala felt dread in the pit of her stomach, hoping he wasn't going to say what she feared. "She left me after this thing that happened between us; kind of a misunderstanding on both parts, now that I think about it. I'm not sure about this, but there's a chance that I could be... Siri's father." Her heart sank, and she abruptly turned away.

"No," she muttered, feeling as though she had been hit between the eyes. "She must be wrong; you can't be." She wasn't sure if she was telling this to Simba or only trying to convince herself. Yet as her mind turned to the young lioness, she noticed similarities she hadn't recognized before: the black-tipped ears like those that Simba had had as a cub, the pelt that seemed almost like a muted version of Scar's. "It isn't true."

"I'm sorry, Nala," he said. "I was a lot younger back then-- I wasn't thinking. I mean, Tamaa and I thought we'd be mates, and I thought I'd never see you again. Please, don't be mad." He rubbed his head against hers. "You know I'll always stand by you--"

Nala turned to face him, her gaze steady but her face seeming almost defeated. "Simba, I'm not mad at you. It's just-- this is too much to take at once." She began walking away. "I just need to be alone." She passed through the trees, her thoughts spinning. When she came into a different clearing, she dropped onto her side and stared up at the sky, watching the stars come out.

She wasn't mad at Simba at all; more like disillusioned. When she had first heard the news of his "death", she'd believed that she would never be happy again. As she grew older, the wound had begun to heal, but she still did one thing nearly every day as a kind of duty to him. She would leave Pride Rock and walk to the gorge where Mufasa had died, looking down far below, simply thinking. If he hadn't been in that one particular place, on that one day, things might have been completely different.

Although as a cub Nala had been shocked to learn that she was betrothed to Simba, she vowed as an adolescent that she would not marry or choose a mate. She sometimes wished that weren't so, as she watched her friends grow alongside her and fall in love. And on the day that Scar exiled the adolescent males and their mates out of fear of losing his throne, she felt a twinge of regret that she wasn't among them, but told herself it was all right, because she was honoring Simba's memory by remaining at Pride Rock. When she came across him in the jungle, she felt as though it had all been worth it.

Now, though, everything seemed different. To learn that Simba had all but pushed her out of his mind and turned to the first lioness he came across for companionship, while she lived a nearly solitary life.... Had she meant anything at all to him back then? Or had she simply cared too much for him? She tried to picture Tamaa in her head; likely a beautiful and charming lioness, one who Simba would be only too happy to share his life with. If they had stayed together, would he have even given her a second glance?

Nala sighed. She was thinking about this way too much. Though she wanted to go back to where Simba was, she couldn't let herself, for she felt almost as though she had been lied to or betrayed. She still needed some time. Her thoughts turned back to the Pridelands. What would Sarabi think about this? What would Kiara? Trying to block these thoughts from her mind, she closed her eyes, hoping things would seem brighter in the light of morning.

* * *

Simba sighed as Nala walked away from him and into the surrounding trees, until he could see her no more. He had known as he approached her that she would probably react in that way, but it still came as a surprise to him. What did she think of him now? When would he see her again? He turned as Siri padded up behind him. "What happened?" she asked, her voice low. "She isn't mad, is she?"

He shook his head. "No, but she definitely isn't happy. She said she wanted to be alone for a while." Siri looked downward, her ears drooping slightly.

"Oh," she said. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything to you. I've ruined everything." She lifted her head, looking in the direction of the stars above. Her eyes seemed glazed over, however; not really focusing on anything.

Simba spoke up, attempting to distract her before she began blaming herself more. "Did Tamaa ever tell you about the stars?" Siri shook her head, still looking upward. "My father told me once that all the great kings of the past are up there, watching us. He said they're always there, guiding us in everything we do."

The lioness nodded, turning to look at him with her pale eyes. In her mind, however, his statement troubled her. What about all the other lions? Were Tamaa and Hifadhi looking down at her, or was she alone? She turned to Simba, who was now looking at the sky as well. She couldn't get used to thinking of this lion as her father. His red eyes were fixed on a star that was shining brighter than the others, directly above them. In her mind she inquired of her family. _You're watching me now, aren't you?_ But the stars gave no reply.

* * *

The young lions reclined on the rocks by the waterfall, looking at the shining constellations high above. "Heh, look at that one," Tamaa said. She pointed at a cluster of stars with a claw. "Looks kinda like a hyena getting crushed by rocks or something, doesn't it?"

Simba lifted his head up, straining to find something that looked even vaguely like what Tamaa had described. "Not really," he said. "Doesn't look like much of anything to me."

"No, really, look," she said, nudging him. "See, there's an arm sticking out from a boulder there, and _that_ looks a little like the side of its face...." As she tried in vain to point it out, Simba thought back to when he was a cub, the night before Mufasa died. Which star was he watching from?

"Hey, you know what I heard once?" he asked, cutting her off. "When all the great kings die, they go up there. Among the stars. They watch us, and--" Tamaa laughed derisively, cutting him off.

"Great story, Simba. Did you make that one up yourself?" As he fell silent, she nudged him playfully. She spoke again, though in a more serious tone. "Oh, come on, I'm not trying to be cruel. I just don't believe in stuff like that." She was silent for a moment, contemplating the stars once more. "We should just take things for what they are. It's puerile to make things seem different than what they are. Stars are just stars."

Simba didn't say anything at first. He wondered what Nala would have said, had he told her. Would she have agreed with him as well? Or would she have laughed at him too? Maybe he was just different from everyone else. "Maybe you're right," he said.

"Oh no, I gotta get back to my cave," Tamaa said suddenly, standing up. "My dad's gonna give me hell; he thinks I'll get killed out here at night." She dashed across the stepping-stones going across the pool of the waterfall, pausing only to look over her shoulder. "I'll see ya tomorrow!"

"Bye," Simba called, watching her leave. Sometimes he wondered if Tamaa knew how lucky she was. He wouldn't have minded being reprimanded by Mufasa, as long as he could see him again. Then again, Tamaa probably saw _him_ as lucky, too. He stood up, heading in the opposite direction. Timon and Pumbaa were probably wondering where he was. They'd probably find out some day, but he wanted to put that moment off for as long as possible.

* * *

A/N: These chapters are getting harder and harder to write (because now Simba, Nala, and Siri are interacting), but like I said, the next one will probably be up pretty soon. Random note here, but I think this is the first time I did a section of the story completely from Nala's point of view. Reviews are much appreciated (as always). See ya next time!


	7. Lovers Apart

A/N: Told you I'd update sooner than the last one. I have a feeling that at this point I'm more than halfway done the whole fic. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_Lovers Apart_

The lioness cub kept her eyes to the ground as she walked, making sure to avoid the gazes of the hyenas that seemed to be everywhere these days. Nala knew that even looking at one of them would remind her of the last day she'd spent with Simba, barely a week ago. Had she even said goodbye to him that night, or had she simply allowed Zazu to lead her home from the Elephant Graveyard? She couldn't remember, and she didn't want to. Everyone in the pride had taken the news of the deaths hard.

She stopped when she reached the stone that her mother, Sarafina, had placed as a boundary line. Sarafina feared that if Nala got too close to the gorge, she would meet the same end as Simba and Mufasa. She could barely see the gorge from there, but it would have to do. Finally lifting her eyes to the chasm ahead, she dropped the spray of wildflowers from between her teeth. "I wish you could be here with me, Simba," she whispered. "I miss you so much."

Nala continued looking at the gorge, deep in thought. She hadn't even known that Simba was going there that fateful day. If she had gone there with him, would things have turned out differently? Or would she have been just another life lost in the stampede? Her concentration was broken when she heard a voice from behind her. "What are you doing?"

She turned around, slightly surprised to see Scar, the new king of the Pridelands, followed by a small group of hyenas. She faltered under his intense stare, feeling as though he had intruded on a private moment. "I was leaving these flowers," she said, "for-- for Simba and Mufasa." He shook his head, placing a paw on her back in what was clearly supposed to be a comforting gesture. Nala only winced at the feeling of his partway-extended claws between her shoulder blades.

"They're dead, Nala," he said, pushing the flowers into the dust with his free paw. "And that's something we all have to get used to." She felt as though she could never get used to it; never truly accept the fact. With that thought in mind, she promised Simba that she wouldn't forget him. If she had to, she'd come to the gorge every day to show how much she cared. He was her best friend, and he was worth it.

* * *

Nala sighed as she left the clearing she had spent the night in, wondering what to do. The cold shock from the night before had faded away, but a feeling of betrayal and sadness remained. She felt as though she could have dealt with last night's news had it not been for Siri. She worried now that she might act rashly upon seeing the young lioness; though Siri had had nothing to do with it. Nothing was stopping her from returning to Simba but herself.

She loved him; she couldn't deny that. She wouldn't have stood by him for so long if that were untrue. Everything about him brightened her life, giving her a secret joy and making her feel like the happiest being in the world. His cheerful and confident nature, his love of life; these things had always made her feel that they fit perfectly together. But now she saw that she wasn't the only one who had felt this way.

Tamaa. Still a mysterious figure that seemed to lurk in the recesses of her mind; Simba's first real love. What had she been like? Almost unconsciously, she weighed herself against this lioness on an imaginary scale. Nala knew nothing about her, only that she had been first. Yet this was enough to tip the scales in her favor. Was she only a last resort to Simba, someone he would have passed by had he and Tamaa remained together? Against her will, she imagined those two together: living in paradise and passion, cut off from the world around them, while she scrounged for food in a desolate wasteland.

What had happened to make Tamaa leave him, though? Simba had called it a "misunderstanding on both parts", though this told her nothing. Had Tamaa wanted to be his mate, but Simba refused? Or had Tamaa left him on her own, herself being the one who wasn't ready to commit? These thoughts simultaneously frustrated and frightened her, as she realized that she couldn't even determine which path her own mate was more likely to take. Yet whatever the cause, Tamaa had left, and Siri was born.

Thinking of that lioness gave Nala a feeling almost like an unpleasant taste in her mouth. She knew that this was unfair; this situation wasn't Siri's fault at all. Yet the young lioness made an easy scapegoat for her distress. As she mulled over this, a new thought came into her mind. Was Siri really even Simba's daughter? All of her confused, stricken thoughts could be based on an unfounded assumption. There was no way of knowing for sure, though, and this did little to comfort her.

She noticed with surprise that Siri was out hunting a short distance away from her, though the sun had barely risen in the gray sky above. Nala watched curiously as Siri stalked through the tall grass, not looking as nervous as she had the first time she had been seen hunting. Her movements still seemed awkward and unnatural, however, and Nala assumed that hunting was not something she did very often. Why was she doing it now, then, and so early in the morning?

As Nala watched the lioness chase a solitary gazelle until a stand of trees shielded her from view, she began to understand, or at least thought she did. Did Siri feel guilty for causing her departure the night before, and was using this hunt as a way to make it up to Simba? She wanted to tell her that she didn't need to push herself so hard, that Simba wasn't angry at her, but couldn't do it. She didn't feel up to speaking to Simba _or_ Siri right now.

She turned to reenter the jungle, her thoughts still racing. What would happen when they returned to Pride Rock? Would Siri go with them? Would they be able to tell the other pride members about the situation? Nala shook her head roughly, trying to clear her thoughts. This was all too much.

* * *

Simba darted in front of the zebra, attempting to distract it while Tamaa came in from the side. The zebra ended up running in the opposite direction than Simba had intended, however, and managed to escape before Tamaa could catch up to it. She collapsed onto her side with an exasperated sigh. "Well, there goes my meal for the day." Simba lay on the ground next to her, catching his breath.

"I thought it sounded like a good enough idea," he said. "I guess it was smarter than we thought."

"You know what else sounded like a good idea?" Tamaa asked, not expecting an answer. "I told my dad about you." She stared amusedly at Simba's surprised expression. "Figured that if he knew about you, he'd be more likely to stop worrying about me." She shook her head. "Yeah, I was wrong."

"What did he say?" Simba asked. He had never seen Tamaa's father Hifadhi, but from her descriptions and complaints about him he seemed to be overly protective of his daughter. For a brief second he wondered if he had told her to stop seeing him, but decided that that was unlikely. For all her complaining, Tamaa seemed to admire Hifadhi and mostly listened to what he told her.

"Same old thing," she replied. "Places like this can be really dangerous, you shouldn't trust rogues, I'm only looking out for you, et cetera, et cetera." She sat up, pushing a tuft of fur out of her eyes. "He finally said that it didn't matter, as long as I was careful. At least he realizes you're not trying to kill me or something."

Simba got up as well, slightly uncomfortable because of Tamaa's complaints. Without warning, another thought of Mufasa came into his mind. He was sure Tamaa never felt like this. She hadn't ever asked him about his past, and for that he was grateful. "We should go try again," he said, attempting to change the subject.

"All right," she said, "but this time, _I'm_ gonna distract it, and you'll be the one to bring it down. Okay?" He nodded. "Then let's go. I see another herd right over there." The two lions took off, Tamaa in the lead and Simba coming in from the side. The herd scattered, but one zebra fell behind. Simba began creeping stealthily around it, hoping to get close but remain unnoticed until it was too late.

As Tamaa lunged in front of it, making as if to pounce, the zebra unexpectedly charged toward her. She saw this at the last second, quickly dodging to the left. The sudden movement caught her off balance, and she skidded several feet down a small rocky incline. At this the zebra ran off, glad to have escaped with its life. Simba picked his way down to her, relieved to see she was mostly unhurt.

"Just a few cuts," she said casually, stretching out her forelegs to inspect the damage. "Could've been a lot worse." Tamaa suddenly groaned, an annoyed expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Simba asked.

"You know how paranoid my dad's been lately," she replied. "He's gonna think _you_ did this to me!" She shook her head. "So much for being careful, huh?"

"You can't be serious," Simba said. "Why would he think I'd do that?" Tamaa shook her head.

"I don't mean he'll think you _physically_ did this," she explained. "He thinks that me hanging out with a rogue is dangerous. He's gonna blame this on you; I know it!" She sighed. "Oh well. Guess I'll just have to deal with him later. Whatever happened to that meal?"

* * *

"You didn't have to do that," Simba said, looking up as Siri dropped her kill in front of him. "I was going to go hunt for both of us." Siri said nothing for a few seconds, her eyes shifting to the direction where they both knew Nala was.

"I had to," she said. "This is my fault. If I hadn't... brought that up yesterday, you and Nala wouldn't-- wouldn't be like this." She had turned her face to the ground as she spoke, looking up when she finished.

Simba laid a paw on one of hers. "Stop blaming yourself," he told her. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine." In the back of his mind, he wished that Siri hadn't told him about Tamaa. But of course there was no way he could say that to her without causing her more guilt. "You worry too much."

"But what if Nala decides she doesn't want to be with you anymore?" Siri asked, her paws shifting nervously under his. Her voice was low and shaking. "What if she leaves you?"

"Don't worry," he reassured her. He looked back to where Nala was. "I know that won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"We've been together for a long time," he responded. "We've been through a lot. Our relationship's strong enough that it wouldn't fall apart over something like this." Simba paused, as though reflecting over what he had said. "_Nala's_ strong enough. She just needs some time."

"I hope you're right," Siri said. "If I found out that everything was ruined because of me, I'd--"

Simba held up a paw, motioning for her to be silent. "I know I'm right."

* * *

Nala drank from the waterfall as the sun set, deep in thought. The vibrant colors painted across the sky were reflected in the flowing water. Fireflies were coming out, and night flowers opened, spreading their fragrance in the sultry air. It all reminded her of that night, which seemed so long ago. This was the kind of night she had pictured before she and Simba returned to the jungle, but she hadn't thought she'd be spending it alone.

Memories of the night she fell in love came flooding back to her. She and Simba had acted almost like cubs; everything in the jungle seemed new and wonderful. She realized now that it hadn't lasted very long, for shortly after that they had gotten into an argument, and the next morning they had returned to the Pridelands to challenge Scar. But that one night of discovery, of happiness, had had a profound effect on her. Nala knew she would have done anything to relive it. She turned from the waterfall, looking toward the direction where Simba and Siri were. She knew what she had to do.

As she entered the clearing, however, she was surprised to find only Siri, alone. "Nala, it's you," she said, surprised. "Simba was just looking for you." She paused, rubbing the ground with a paw. "I think he said something about going to the waterfall...."

"Thanks, Siri," she said, turning around. Had they crossed paths without realizing it? The way things had been going, she wouldn't have been surprised. "Hopefully I'll be back here soon. I mean, _we'll_ be back here soon." As she walked through the trees, she wondered what she would say. She was ready to come back to him, though how to put that into words? When she reached the waterfall, however, she knew exactly what to do.

Simba was drinking from it, his back turned towards her. Her eyes lit up, and she began sprinting in his direction with cubbish joy. He turned around at the last second as she pounced him, knocking them both into the water. Nala climbed to the banks dripping, as Simba shook the water from his mane. "I _warned_ you I'd get you back for that someday," she said teasingly.

"Does this mean 'apology accepted'?" Simba asked, shoving her with a paw.

"Do you even have to ask?" she replied. She looked into his eyes, speaking sincerely now. "I'm sorry, too. It was kind of-- no, it was really wrong of me to just run like that. I mean, Simba, I trust you completely. I love you." He pointed at the sky, where the first stars of the evening were shining above.

"Still a few hours left of today," he said. "Who says we can't still enjoy ourselves?" She nodded, but then frowned.

"What will we do about Siri, though? What will we tell the pride?" He rubbed his head against hers.

"We can think about that tomorrow, Nala," he said gently. He waved his arm, indicating the darkening expanse of jungle surrounding them. "But for now, the night's all ours." She smiled as she walked off with her mate. Right now, Siri and Tamaa weren't important. Nothing was but them and their love. This was their paradise, and they were the only ones left in the world.

* * *

Tamaa entered her cave just as the sun was beginning to set. Hifadhi looked up from his meal. "Look, I know what you're gonna say," she said, standing so that she was still just a silhouette at the cave's mouth, "but hear me out, okay?" She stepped forward, revealing the cuts and scrapes on her forelegs.

"How did that happen?" he asked, stepping forward. The cuts weren't deep and she didn't seem hurt, but it still worried him. Since they had entered the jungle, he was constantly on his guard. This was the only safe place they had, and any danger there would mean disaster for them.

"I was hunting a zebra with Simba, and long story short, I fell down this hill," she said quickly. "I know you think he's dangerous because he's a rogue, but it wasn't his fault, honestly. If you blame anyone, it should be me."

"I'm not going to blame anyone," Hifadhi replied, "yet. If he encourages you to take risks, I don't think you should see him anymore. You know, you're the only one I have." He looked at her steadily. "We can't act as though life here is easy; we have to be careful. I don't want something like what happened in the valley to happen again."

"Could you stop bringing that up?" Tamaa replied, an annoyed edge to her voice. "I want to forget about that. Every time I think of that hyena, I just get.... I want to kill her. I want to watch her die!" Her claws were now extended, and her voice was rising in volume. "My life _isn't_ easy, no matter what you think!" She paused for several seconds, calming down. "Every day I think about those hyenas, and every day I have to pretend I'm fine, like it's all right. Simba doesn't even know. He goes around like his life is perfect, and where am I? I'm in hell."

Hifadhi didn't know what to say; he had never known the extent of how Tamaa really felt until now. "I won't talk about it if you don't want me to. But you can't forget about something like that." She said nothing, lost in thought.

She knew she couldn't forget, but every day she tried. Simba was the only thing that kept her mind from drifting back to that day. His carefree personality brought her back to easier days, when she and Laini would play together and Makali's name meant nothing to her. Tamaa couldn't imagine losing him. Hifadhi didn't know that, though, as far as she knew. He didn't know how they had planned to become mates, how they had already met in secret for the past few nights. But if he found out, she didn't know what he'd do.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this. I think this was one of the better chapters I've written for this fic. Anyway, reviews would be really great. The next one'll probably be up by Friday or Saturday, so I'll see you then!


	8. Decisions and Doubts

A/N: It's been a long time, I know. Sorry about that. School on top of writer's block.... It's like I knew exactly what I wanted to happen in this, but I didn't know how to write it. But since I got out of school for spring break, the next chapter will probably be up in less than a week this time (_probably_). I hope that you enjoy this, and that you tell me what you think in a review!

* * *

_Decisions and Doubts_

Nala stretched as she woke, slowly opening her eyes. A quick glance at what she could see of the sky through the trees told her it was already past midday. Careful not to wake Simba, she stood up and padded to the waterfall. Her peace faded abruptly as she remembered what they had agreed to do today. She drank from the cool water, trying to push the thought from her mind for as long as she could. Yet there was no way she could ignore it.

They had to decide what they would do about Siri. There were several options, the most obvious being to ask her to come back to the Pridelands with them. Even though the situation was bad on both sides, the pride had a right to know about her. But though this solution seemed simple enough on the surface, it brought a host of new problems springing to the forefront of her mind.

Selfish though it sounded, Nala had to admit it: she didn't like Siri, didn't view her as part of her family. The young lioness was merely a wedge that had been driven between Nala and her mate. She couldn't imagine living with her, coexisting with one whose presence would remind her daily of the life Simba had led without her. And Kiara-- their _real_ daughter, Nala thought-- what would she think? How would she feel to realize that she had an older sister, a family member she'd never known?

And with that came another thought, one that filled her with fear. How would the pride react to this? More specifically, what would the former Outsiders think? Although everything had been going well for the past few weeks, this could damage everything. Any one of those lionesses could be nursing a rebellion in her heart, and this information would be just what she needed to convince the others that their king and queen were fit to be deposed. Nala knew that the last thing the pride needed was another fight.

She turned around as she heard someone else approaching from behind, brightening slightly as she realized it was Simba. Yet even the sight of her mate wasn't enough to cheer her up completely. "What are we going to do?" she asked, watching as he bent down to drink. He straightened up, looking into her eyes with a composed expression.

"Right now, there's only one thing I think we _can_ do," he replied.

Nala groaned. "Please tell me it's not what I think it is."

"We should take her with us when we go back," he said. "I don't like this situation any more than you do, but we can't keep her a secret forever." Simba sighed. "I know she might not even be my daughter. But she'd probably have a better life at Pride Rock than here."

"I guess you're right," Nala said. "But if we do that, we should go back right away. I don't know how much longer I could stay here... knowing all this." Even as she said those words, she knew she'd probably feel the same way back at Pride Rock, as long as Siri was there. Trying not to dwell on this for the time, she turned from Simba and began walking across the stepping-stones to the other side of the waterfall. "But what will we tell the pride? What are they going to think?"

"We'll deal with that when we get there," he answered, following her across. "Right now, let's just try to find Siri and ask if she'll come with us." He paused as he reached the bank, thinking. "And if she doesn't want to come with us, we'll find a way to deal with that too."

Nala hoped that his way of dealing with that would be to leave without her, but she knew not to say it out loud. Though she knew that Simba hadn't truly accepted Siri as a daughter either, she'd noticed that he'd warmed up to the lioness far more than she had. She was disgusted with herself for feeling so selfish and jealous, but what was she to do about that? She couldn't help the way she felt. Steeling herself, she followed Simba through the trees, wondering how _she_ was going to deal with it all.

* * *

Simba looked at the lioness next to him hesitantly, wondering what to say. Tamaa had been the one to initiate all of their nightly trysts so far, and he wasn't exactly sure how to begin. _It's now or never_, he thought determinedly. "Tamaa?" he asked.

"Yeah?" she replied, barely looking up from the antelope bone she was gnawing on.

"Well, I was just wondering if you were, you know, doing anything tonight," he answered awkwardly. "I mean, we should see each other again. It's going to be a full moon, and--"

"Had me at 'tonight'," she said, placing a paw over his mouth, then suddenly laughing. "What other things do you think I'd be doing? Out clubbing?" She smiled playfully. "'Course I'll meet you. Where?"

"I don't know," Simba said. "The waterfall? Wherever you want." Tamaa shook her head.

"We can work it out later. Almost forgot; there's something I want to show you." She abruptly stood up, shaking droplets of water from her fur. There had been a heavy rainfall the night before, and the jungle was still wet. "You see that?" She pointed with a claw at one of the large rock formations that were scattered throughout the jungle. "I live in a cave over there. I've been thinking of just introducing you to Hifadhi... y'know, letting him know he can trust you, getting it all over with. Wanna go now?"

Truthfully, he didn't. From all of Tamaa's complaining about her father's overprotectiveness, at this point Simba was sure that a visit would just make things worse. But Tamaa seemed confident about this, and he could do nothing but follow her as she bounded ahead, not even waiting for his reply. She stopped as she came to a large hill, seeming unsure. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I think we should go the long way around," she said. "I never climbed a hill this wet. Look, it's practically all mud." Simba assumed that it must not have rained much where she came from originally.

"It'll be fine," he answered. "Sometimes things got like that back where I used to live." He stepped onto the hill, feeling the ground shift under his paws. It _was_ a lot like mud. "You just have to do it carefully." He continued up, Tamaa following not far behind. "See?" he asked as they neared the top.

At that moment, Simba felt a sickening feeling in his stomach as the side of the hill began to collapse under their weight. He frantically extended his claws, trying to grab something, anything for support. But the downward motion of the mudslide was too strong, and both lions hit the ground hard. He lay there for several seconds, his head throbbing. The whole thing had seemed to happen in less than a second. From several feet away he could hear Tamaa groaning as she struggled to her paws.

He stood up, wincing at the splitting pain. "Are you all right?" he asked, opening his eyes and walking to Tamaa as best he could.

"I don't know," she replied, her voice low. She spoke again, seeming more determined this time. "Yeah, I'm fine. Hakuna matata and all that, right? Don't worry." At first, everything seemed blurry. But as he approached her, it became clear that everything wasn't all right. Tamaa's right foreleg was twisted at an unnatural angle, yet the young lioness stood on it as though nothing was wrong. The only indication of pain showed in her gritted teeth and extended claws, as well as in her labored, heavy breathing.

"Don't stand on it like that," Simba said nervously. "You're just gonna make it worse."

"I told you, I'm _fine_," she answered. "You're worrying too much." She turned her face away and began walking slowly around the hill, seeming as though she were about to collapse. "Maybe we should put off the 'meet-the-family' thing for a while, though. Don't think Hifadhi's gonna like this."

"Seriously, it won't heal if you walk on it," he replied, falling into step next to her. "You're killing yourself."

"Look, I got everything under control, okay?" Tamaa replied, sounding annoyed. "I said I'll be all right, and I will. I'll go back to my cave for now, and meet you at the waterfall tonight, all right? End of discussion." She picked up her speed, stumbling slightly each time her damaged leg touched the ground.

Simba watched her leave, knowing that there was no way to stop her. Tamaa could never be dissuaded from an idea or opinion, even if she was wrong. _Like now_, he thought. What was wrong with her? She was obviously in pain, so why was she acting like everything was all right? He sighed, wondering where Timon and Pumbaa were. Though they had noticed his near-constant disappearances, they hadn't asked him any questions and he had given no answers. He only hoped it would stay this way.

* * *

Siri stood in front of the blackened trees, staring down at the stone lying forlornly in the ashes. This time, the thoughts in her mind were of confusion, not sadness. _Why didn't you tell me about Simba? Why didn't you tell me anything?_ When Tamaa was alive, Siri had learned never to question her. But now, faced with the truth, she wished she could have. She didn't know if she was really Simba's daughter. She would never learn why she'd grown up in the jungle instead of in a normal pride, like Simba and Nala had.

"Siri?" She turned, recognizing Simba's voice. "I didn't know you'd be here. We've been looking everywhere for you." He looked at the dead trees and scattered ashes, nodding his head slowly. "This was where she died, wasn't it?"

She nodded, turning her eyes to the ground. "We were trying to get back to our cave, but she couldn't make it. Her leg-- she told me to run, to leave her behind...." Simba walked closer to her, rubbing his head against hers.

"It's okay," he said gently, his voice low. "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. My father died when I was still a cub. I've never forgotten that day, but I know he's always with me. And Tamaa-- she's with you, too." Siri didn't feel like talking about this anymore.

"Why did you come here?" Simba seemed surprised at how suddenly she'd spoken.

"Nala and I were wondering if you'd come with us when we leave," he said. "To the Pridelands. It might be better for you there." She was shocked; this wasn't what she'd expected him to say at all. Though he had told her about his home, she'd thought it was just to make conversation. "There's more food, other lionesses... you wouldn't have to live here alone."

She didn't know what to say. The jungle was her home, the only one she'd ever known. While hunting here was difficult, she couldn't imagine living with the others at Pride Rock. The other lionesses, including Simba's daughter-- what would they think of her? How would she deal with them? Siri still wasn't completely used to Simba and Nala, yet alone a whole pride. But Simba had been so kind to her, hunting for her and providing companionship; it would be selfish and unfair to him if she refused. She was trapped.

"If you need some time to think about it, that's all right," he said. "I know this must seem really sudden--"

"I'll go with you," Siri said, surprising even herself. "You've done so much for me, and you barely know me...." Her voice faltered as she spoke, and Simba seemed to pick up on this immediately.

"You don't have to decide so quickly," he reassured her. "We just thought maybe you'd like it better there. I mean, you don't even have to go if you don't want to." Siri didn't want to, but the only thing that seemed worse than refusing him would be to take back her word after she'd already given it. She spoke quickly, hoping he wouldn't guess she was lying.

"No, I really do want to go," she answered. "It's been pretty dry over here for a while; I'll be able to hunt." Without thinking, she voiced the question she'd been keeping inside her since she'd spoken to him about Tamaa. "Are you going to tell them-- the other lionesses-- about me? Who I am?" She regretted the fact that she'd even asked.

Simba sighed. "Nala and I still aren't sure. We're thinking of deciding that once we get there. What do you think?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. You shouldn't even have to go through all of this, just because of me."

"Siri, this isn't your fault," he said. "Stop putting all the blame on yourself."

"I know it's not really my fault," she said, her voice now a whisper. "But I just can't help feeling this way." They sat in silence, neither wanting to divulge the many confused thoughts racing through their minds. Siri tried to tell herself that it would be fine in the Pridelands, that she'd get used to life there eventually. For a moment, she almost convinced herself that she'd prefer it. But it was to no avail. Finally, Simba broke the silence.

"I have to go back for now," he said. "Nala's waiting for me. Remember, you can always change your mind." And with that he strode off, leaving nothing behind but a small cloud of ashes lingering in the air. Siri was alone again, but she didn't know for how long.

* * *

"I just can't believe this," Hifadhi said, pacing around the cave where his daughter lay on the floor, her injured foreleg stretched out in front of her. "I'm surprised you even made it up here."

"Hifadhi, you know this wasn't Simba's fault, right?" she asked, sounding worried. "He really had nothing to do with this."

"I know," he answered. "It could have happened to anyone. I'm just surprised that it happened to _you_." For a few moments, Tamaa said nothing. She simply gazed out the cave's entrance to where the sun was steadily dropping in the sky.

"Look, I know you told me I should rest for a while, but I can't tonight," she said. "I told Simba I was gonna meet him at the waterfall; it's the first full moon since we met."

Hifadhi stopped pacing, staring at the lioness as though she were insane. "Look, I'm not going to tell you what you can or can't do," he began, "but you really shouldn't do this. You can barely stand. You could get hurt on the way there; you could even die if you fell into a ravine or something. I don't want something like that to happen to you just because of some rogue. See him when you feel a little better." Tamaa looked at him skeptically. "If he really cares about you, it won't bother him."

She hated when Hifadhi got like this, and had no intention of agreeing with him this time. But there was no need for him to know about that until it was too late. "Fine," she said calmly. "I'll just stay around here tonight."

"Good," he said. He looked into her eyes, speaking in an almost apologetic tone. "I know you think I'm being too restrictive, but since that day at the valley...." Tamaa's eyes seemed to unconsciously fill with rage, her breathing ragged. "I realized how quickly everything can change. You, me, anyone... we could all die in just a second. I'm just trying to look out for you." The fire in her eyes was gone now, but her tail flicked from side to side warningly. "I can tell you don't want to hear this. I'm going to hunt before it gets dark."

Tamaa sighed in relief as Hifadhi left. Finally, some peace. There was still time before sunset; if things went right she would be at the waterfall just as he was returning from his hunt. For now, though, all she could do was wait until he was a safe distance away. She wondered what Simba was doing. Probably with Timon and Pumbaa; he had plenty of time to spare. Sometimes she wished she could be like him, not having any worries or cares. She wouldn't have to put up a facade every time she was with him, wouldn't have to pretend she was living in the moment like he was. For all her talk about forgetting it, her mind was still stuck deeply in the past.

That was why she had ignored the pain, even though it was nearly unbearable. That was why she had told Simba she was fine and didn't need any help. Tamaa couldn't forget the way Laini had pleaded with one of Makali's hyena cohorts not to kill her. If she had kept fighting like she had been at first, maybe then she could have gotten away. That moment, though she hadn't realized it at first, taught her a cruel but natural lesson: The weak are killed; the strong survive. If she presented herself as strong, then nothing could truly have power over her. If she ignored the pain, she could move on and live a normal life. Tamaa had never discussed this with anyone, but she was sure she was right. This was the natural order of things, and she would live by it.

A quick glance at the sun told her it was time. Wincing as she got to her paws, she padded to the cave's entrance and worked her way down the hilly slope leading up to it. At least it would be easier going down than coming up. "Don't worry, Simba," she muttered to herself. "I always keep my promises."

* * *

A/N: This was the hardest chapter to write out of all of them so far; I've been working on it on and off for a few days now. Before anyone jumps on me about the "Out clubbing" line, yeah, I'm aware that they're lions. But come on, the movies had stuff like that too (what would they be, anachronisms?). As always, reviews and/or crits are much appreciated. I'll see you next time!


	9. Rendezvous

A/N: I know I said I'd update sooner than this; sorry about that. Thanks so much to everyone who's read or reviewed so far; it really means a lot. This chapter is a bit different from the others; it takes place entirely in the past. Enjoy!

* * *

_Rendezvous_

The adolescent lion paced back and forth, his mind spinning frenetically from one thought to the next. He kept his eyes focused on the still-damp ground below, knowing that looking at the steadily darkening sky would only make him doubt and backtrack more. Time was running out mercilessly, and he didn't want to make a rash decision. Should he go to the waterfall as arranged, or stay where he was? Though it seemed a simple enough question with an obvious answer, there were too many variables, too many possible outcomes.

Eager though Simba was to see Tamaa, a gnawing worry hung over him that she wouldn't show up. Hifadhi couldn't have taken the news of her injury well; it seemed unlikely that she would be permitted to see him tonight, if at all. And despite her stubbornness and tenacity, he didn't think that even Tamaa would walk all the way there on a badly injured leg. Though these seemed like merely petty annoyances on the surface, they were of greater import when it came to both his friends and his relationship.

The waterfall was far enough away from where he slept that Timon and Pumbaa would surely notice if he returned during the night after finding no one there. This had never been a problem before, but shortly after the mudslide incident that day, the two of them had finally questioned him. Timon had bluntly asked what the duo must have been wondering for weeks. "Where do you go all the time? What are you doing without us?" Ordinary questions, but Simba was caught off guard.

He had turned away, his heart racing from shock, and mumbled some excuse about exploring more of the jungle. Their suspicious stares told him they didn't believe a word of it. Deep down, he wasn't sure why he was worried about them finding out. Though he knew that they would probably protest his relationship with Tamaa if they were aware of it, there was nothing they could do about it. He wasn't a cub anymore, and had he not grown up next to them they would likely have already become his prey. Yet the thought of any threat to his relationship with the only lioness he had seen for so long made him panic. Simba wanted to conceal it from them for as long as he could.

But Tamaa _had_ said she would be there, and he had never known her to go back on her word. If he stayed where he was while she went to the waterfall, she was sure to be furious. Over the days they had spent hunting together, he had noticed that she hated getting back less than she had given. Though a situation like this had never come up between them, he was sure it would be no different than the times when she failed to catch her prey after exhausting herself. Nothing good could come from breaking her trust in him.

And he wanted to see her, would already have been on his way were it not for the worries assailing his mind. He wasn't sure exactly when he had realized it, but he loved her. Not just out of desire or the knowledge that they would be mates, though they might as well have been mates already. No, he truly loved her for who she was. Tamaa had such a casual manner that Simba could act naturally with her, never needing to worry what she would think of him. Her sarcasm and temper were as biting as ever, but as she had grown closer to him she had begun to let down her guard, showing pure displays of affection. She wasn't perfect, but he wouldn't have her any other way.

He knew what he had to do. What would it matter if Timon and Pumbaa found out? Their interference wouldn't-- couldn't-- change anything between he and Tamaa. Simba started off resolutely toward the waterfall as the sun dropped closer and closer to the horizon. He followed the path unthinkingly, so lost in expectation that he almost walked into the unfamiliar lion in front of him. There was only one lion this stranger could be: Tamaa's father, Hifadhi.

"You're Simba, right?" he asked, dropping the zebra haunch from between his teeth and pushing his tangled mane away from his face. Simba nodded. It was clear that the lion wanted to keep their conversation short. "Tamaa said she isn't going to the waterfall tonight; she's just going to rest. I'm glad I caught up with you before you made it all the way there."

Simba wasn't surprised by this news, but didn't want to put off their meeting for too long. "That's all right with me." As Hifadhi picked up the haunch and began turning to leave, he spoke again. "Wait, would it be all right with you if I saw her tomorrow morning?" he asked. "She told me what cave she lives in already." The older lion nodded before turning around in the direction he'd come from, while Simba made his way back as well.

He sighed as he looked up at the newly risen moon, silver and perfectly round. Though he'd never had the chance to tell Tamaa, he had planned their meeting over a week ago, hoping it would be perfect. However, in a way he was relieved. Timon and Pumbaa often slept late, and he could probably make it to Tamaa's cave and back before they noticed his absence. It was still early, though, and all he could think of at the moment was getting some rest.

He spotted the pair under a tree, involved in some argument that was most likely about the best type of bug. They barely registered his appearance, glancing in his direction momentarily and then picking up where they'd left off. Too tired to make his way to where he normally slept, he collapsed to his side under a spreading canopy of leaves. If he wanted to reach Tamaa's cave as soon as he could, he'd need sleep. As he slept that night, waking periodically from anticipation of the coming day, his dreams were only of her.

* * *

Tamaa's foreleg was hurting her worse than ever; tears sprang to her eyes and it was all she could do not to cry out in pain. But she wouldn't let herself be weak, and she continued forward, biting her tongue whenever it got to be too much. _Damn it, the things I do for that guy_, she thought facetiously, smiling even through her pain. She was almost there, and making good progress. The sun was still setting; the moon hadn't risen. 'Sentimental' was the last word she'd have used to describe herself, but thinking that Simba had picked this night, this coming full moon, just for her gave her a warm, loving feeling. She felt almost as though she were glowing from the inside out.

She was fairly certain that Hifadhi would be angry when he returned from his hunt and noticed she was gone, but it didn't matter right now. All she could think of was seeing Simba. Tamaa had never imagined herself falling in love; even as a cub she had always pictured herself living on her own and looking out for no one but herself. Laini had been more of a romantic, the kind who would flirt heavily with one cub for a while and then move on to another the next week. Yet Tamaa knew what this feeling she had for Simba was almost instantaneously. He was so easygoing, and though she envied his easy life, she couldn't deny that that trait was endearing.

She reached the waterfall just as the sun dropped below the horizon. Dropping by its side into a relaxed position, she waited. It would probably take a bit longer for Simba to show up; he lived farther from the waterfall than she did. Tilting her head and gazing at her reflection in the peacefully flowing water beside her, she wondered how he saw her. Tamaa didn't view herself as pretty, but maybe she could make herself look a little better. Dipping her good paw into the water, she smoothed some of the stray tufts of fur on her head back. She shook her head abruptly, pushing them back into position. _He doesn't care how you look_, she admonished herself.

She rolled gently onto her back, staring up at the stars. They were just starting to appear, twinkling faintly like the bulbs of fireflies or light reflecting off dewdrops. Some blazed brighter than the others, in shades of yellow or a red-orange. The moon shone down upon the area, painting everything in a smoky silver light. As more and more stars appeared, however, Tamaa grew uneasy. Where was he? She told him she'd be there; she knew he'd heard her.

She tried to calm herself, scanning the sky for the star formations she had pointed out to Simba on that night a few weeks ago. No matter how clearly she'd explained them, he hadn't seemed to notice even one. There was one that looked like a cactus, another like some animal's ribcage. And of course her favorite, the hyena being crushed in an avalanche. _Take that, Makali_, she laughed to herself. But soon it became clear that even more time had passed, and there was still no sign of Simba. Why wasn't he here?

Tamaa wouldn't pretend she knew much about romance, but she wasn't naive. When living at Mapango Valley she had seen numerous couples interact, and knew exactly what Simba had done to her. He'd stood her up! She had walked all the way to the waterfall just to see him, and he didn't even show up. She bit her lip angrily, wanting to shout or attack; anything to get rid of the anger boiling inside her. Almost instinctively she extended the claws on her good arm and swiped viciously at the rocks by the waterfall, the bushes and trees, anything within her reach.

It hurt to scratch at the rocks so violently, but Tamaa didn't care. She felt as though there were an unquenchable fire burning within her, compelling her to attack, to inflict pain, even if she only ended up hurting herself. Her claws felt as though they were going to snap off; she was exhausted from the walk there as well as her sudden outburst. Seeing the leaves torn so viciously from their branches, as well as the bark coming off from the trees in jagged stripes, managed to calm her down, even if only slightly. As she sat back down, breathing heavily, she thought back over what had just happened.

Hifadhi would have said that she'd overreacted. If he had been there, he would have told her to look at the situation rationally. And almost against her will, she did exactly that. It wasn't as though the jungle was a perfectly safe place. Simba could have gotten hurt, or maybe one of his friends had. Perhaps he had been worried about _her_, and didn't come because he had thought she'd stay at her cave. Whatever the reason, Tamaa would find out in the morning when she went looking for him. For now, though, her eyelids were drooping, and there was no way she'd walk all the way back to her cave. She drifted into sleep uneasily, trying to tell herself that it was fine, that Simba had a perfectly valid reason for not showing up. But the more she tried to convince herself of that, the less optimistic she felt.

* * *

Simba stretched as he woke up, prepared to go see Tamaa. As his eyes opened completely, however, he realized that it was later in the morning than he had planned. Luckily, he didn't see Timon and Pumbaa anywhere, and hoped they were still sleeping so that he would have a chance to sneak away. Stepping carefully so as not to alert them of his presence, he made his way toward the cover of the trees. He jumped back in surprise as a meerkat sprang from a bush.

"Hold it right there, buddy!" Timon shouted, holding a paw in front of Simba's face. "Pumbaa and I have something to tell you." Simba turned around to see the warthog approaching him.

"Can't it wait, guys?" he asked, feeling more than a little annoyed. "There's something I have to do." Timon shook his head adamantly.

"Absolutely not," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You've been deserting us for _way_ too long by now, and we're going to do something about it. Right, Pumbaa?"

Pumbaa nodded vigorously. "Right! It's almost like you forgot about us," he said. "So we came up with a plan--"

"Correction: _I _came up with a plan," the meerkat said, cutting him off. Simba rolled his eyes, hoping they would get this over with quickly.

"Yeah, he came up with a plan so that you'll realize what's _really_ important here," Pumbaa said. "We're your friends. You can't just forget about us." At the moment, Simba wanted nothing more than to forget them and go visit Tamaa. He tried to walk away, but the warthog pushed him in the opposite direction with his tusks, toward a pool of water in a small clearing.

"What are you doing?" Simba asked, pushing his claws into the ground so as not to fall in.

"Helping you see that you should just relax," Timon said, diving into the water and floating on his back. "Whatever you've been doing, you can still have a good time with us, am I right? Have fun. Live a little!" With that, Pumbaa pushed him into the water, leaping in himself a moment later.

Simba knew that the pair making him come with them was supposed to be a friendly gesture, but all he wanted was to find a way out of it. Unfortunately, he knew that this "plan" likely involved more than just swimming, and that Timon and Pumbaa weren't likely to let him out of their sight. So he swam with them, but his mind was focused squarely on Tamaa. He sighed, knowing that when he finally got to see her he'd have a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

The sun rose high in the sky, brightening the jungle and with it, Tamaa's mood. The young lioness felt guilty about blaming Simba so quickly the night before; the least she could have done would be to have given him the benefit of the doubt. She stood up, nearly falling over because of the uneven weight she had put on her legs. With a sigh she shook her head, wondering if she'd ever be able to get used to the injury. _That's not important now_, she told herself. _I have to find Simba._ With that she set off through the jungle, alert and attentive.

She scanned the area before her instinctively, trying to spot Simba's bright golden fur. Yet there was no sign of him, even in the familiar places where they had spent most of their time together. Tamaa's anger from the night before was now replaced with a very real fear. What if he really _had_ gotten hurt? What if something was wrong? Berating herself for having been so selfish, she rushed through the trees, ignoring the pain in her foreleg as best she could.

Her ears pricked up suddenly and she stopped in her tracks, panting. Had she just imagined it? She held her breath, listening closely. No, she had definitely heard Simba's voice, coming from an area to the right. As she got closer she could pick out the sounds of other voices, as well as the constant splashing of water. What was going on? Tamaa advanced in that direction until she was stopped by a tangle of vines. They were thick and mostly obstructed her view, but there were enough small gaps that she could watch unnoticed. And what she saw made her eyes widen in bitter realization and rage.

No one was hurt; nothing was wrong. No, Simba was in a pool of water, swimming with his friends, the meerkat and warthog, laughing without a care. He _had_ stood her up the night before, and he didn't even care! Did she mean anything to him at all? Was she just an object to him, a tool he had used to satisfy his lust? For an instant she felt crushed, but this feeling was overtaken by pure hatred. Tamaa had loved him, she still did, but he didn't even care about her. She would never forgive him for that.

She waited, seething, until Simba's friends left the water and sauntered away into the trees. Simba climbed out as well, shaking the water from his mane with his back to her. With a swift movement of her paw, she cut an opening in the vines large enough to squeeze through. There was only one thought on her mind: _You can't lie to me anymore. It's over, Simba._

* * *

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Tamaa's voice had an edge of fury and bitterness he'd never heard before, and Simba turned around abruptly. He was surprised that she was there, and even more so by her face, twisted in outrage and fury. Her eyes were full of hate, her claws extended. The only movement she made was that of her tail swishing back and forth dangerously.

"Tamaa, I was gonna go see you--"

"So was I, Simba. So was I. The waterfall? Does that ring a bell?" She took a step closer to him, and he instinctively moved back, though he knew that with her damaged arm he'd have a definite advantage in a fight. "I'm not worth your time, though, am I?"

Simba was shocked by these words. Hifadhi had said she wouldn't be there, and if he'd only known he would have went there too. "You don't understand; let me explain--"

She laughed scornfully. "I think it's clear enough as it is. I'm just someone you used to have a little 'fun' with, huh? Just a toy for you to play with?" She calmed down for a second, and Simba saw pure hurt in her pale blue eyes. This was replaced by rage as she spoke again. "I trusted you. I loved you, damn it! I waited all night for you, I walked all the way here even on this," she held up her leg, "and you didn't even think of me. You were swimming with your friends!" She turned to leave.

"Wait, Tamaa, I--"

Tamaa turned back and stared at his face appraisingly for a moment, her features showing only disgust. "I've heard enough. Don't try speaking to me again, Simba. I can see there's no room in your _perfect_ little life for me." And before he could say another word, Tamaa walked out of his life as quickly as she had entered it. He never saw her again.

* * *

A/N: I'm really satisfied with how this chapter turned out. I swear, this is the first time it's flowed so easily since about Chapter Four. This is probably the last time you'll see any flashbacks in here, although obviously the story's not over yet. Anyway, I'd love to hear what you think in a review or crit. I don't know when I'll update next, so I guess I'll see ya when I see ya!


	10. Homecoming

A/N: It's hard to believe that I've been writing this for over two months by now. Time flies, huh? So yeah, I hope you like this chapter, and that you'll tell me what you think!

* * *

_Homecoming_

The jungle was silent under the night sky, the only sounds the restful chirping of insects and the leaves stirring in a gentle breeze. Clouds high above blocked out most of the starlight, helped further by the thick canopy of leaves overhead. This peace did nothing to soothe Siri's inner turmoil, however, and the young lioness turned from side to side in the clearing, trying to push the assailing thoughts from her mind.

No matter what she did, sleep firmly refused to come to her. The thought of leaving the jungle was hard enough to deal with during the day, but at least then she'd had distractions. Hunting, conversing with Simba and Nala, even returning to the site of the fire-- all these pushed the thought to the back of her mind, at least temporarily. But during the night she was left alone with nothing but her thoughts, and in the silence of the jungle they were impossible to escape.

The plans were all finalized; the decision made. Simba and Nala would return to Pride Rock by the first light of dawn, and Siri would go with them. Surely this plan would be agreeable on all sides; after all, hadn't she agreed to go herself? At least, that seemed to be the opinion of Simba and Nala. Siri didn't know how she could explain that she wasn't ready to go with them, that she'd been caught in the snare of her own thoughtless words. There was nothing more she could do but wait for this night to pass, and deal with the journey to the Pridelands as best she could. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.

It wasn't the thought of going to the Pridelands that worried her; she knew she had the stamina to make the journey. It was the question of what she would do when she got there. Would Simba and Nala tell the pride who she really was? And if they did, how would the pride react? There were a myriad of possibilities for the latter question, most of them thoughts Siri didn't want to dwell on. Though Simba hadn't seemed to have any qualms about her going with them, others certainly might. Suppose they thought her claim to be Simba's daughter was a lie, a way to exploit their king? They could rebel, drive her out, even kill her.

Even if they didn't reveal her true identity, even if everything went well, there was still the question of how _she_ would cope. Hifadhi and Tamaa were the only lions she'd known for most of her life, and she was only just beginning to feel comfortable with Simba and Nala. Siri was by nature a solitary lioness; she had no idea how she would fit into a pride. Just the thought of so many other lionesses made her nervous.

A light rain began to fall, breaking her out of her thoughts. She looked up at the sky, hoping to take her mind off her worries. All she could see were thick grey clouds, with some small rifts that allowed her to see a few scattered stars. It was a peaceful enough sight, but soon she felt an undercurrent of fear. The weather had been like this on the day of the fire.

She stood up abruptly, her only thought being:_ I have to get to my cave_. Though Siri had seen many storms in her life, her eyes had only recently been opened to the damage they could cause. She didn't think she could face another one, especially not with her nerves the way they were. Without waiting a moment longer, she dashed from the clearing, leaving Simba and Nala where they slept. It didn't matter; she could come back to them in the morning.

Weaving through the trees, her thoughts turned more and more to panic as the rain began to fall harder. The drops hit her pelt like cold stones, giving her a momentary shock. Her vision was becoming blurred, but she ran on, not stopping until she was out of the cover of the trees. She looked up as she reached the slope that led to her cave. The last time she had been there was the morning of the day that she'd met Simba and Nala. It wasn't a long time ago, only two days, but to Siri it felt as though it had been in the distant past. She had learned so much in those days, about who her father could have been and about Pride Rock. Her new home.

But how could she get used to Pride Rock as a home? She shook her head and sighed, realizing the direction her thoughts had taken. She'd come full circle.

She climbed up the slope and curled into a back corner of her cave, staring out at the falling rain. The cave felt so large and intimidating without the presence of Tamaa and Hifadhi. Against her will, memories came back to her of past nights in the cave. When the rain fell, her mother and Hifadhi would talk together. Siri would hang back, listening; it wasn't her custom to join their conversations. Sometimes, if she listened closely, she would hear hints of Tamaa's past, but these were few and far between.

She knew that she shouldn't be thinking like this; it was her last night in the jungle and she should be relaxing, enjoying it. Yet it was her home, the place where she'd grown up; she was tied too deeply to it to ever forget her life there. And again, this brought her mind back to Pride Rock. She couldn't just go there and live a new life. Things like that took time; how could she be expected to adjust right away?

Siri sighed, laying her head on top of her paws. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Simba scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of Pride Rock. Though it had been years since he'd been at this place, he hadn't realized the way back was so long. The three had been walking for most of the morning, and the jungle had only just begun to fall away behind them. When he had first left the jungle, barely an adult, he hadn't thought of this; he was filled with adrenaline and was letting nothing stand in his way. He was older now, though, and the prospect of the continuing walk home seemed almost-- exhausting. Looking to his right, he saw that Nala shared the same sentiments. The lioness dropped to the ground with a sigh, ready for a break.

He too slowed, reflecting. It wasn't just the walk that tired him-- though that was certainly true-- but the knowledge that no matter how eager _he_ was to go back to the Pridelands, he would have to wait. Wait until he actually reached his home, wait until he came to a decision of what to do. For as little as the young lioness tried to involve herself in this, the situation kept turning back to Siri.

As he reclined on his side, he thought of his options. There was always the direct way; he could state that she might be his daughter, and just hope for the best from the pride. Yet he felt awkward doing this; he barely viewed the lioness as an acquaintance, much less a family member. She was kind enough, but three days wasn't enough to know someone, truly find out who they are. Of course he could also lie, and state that he and Nala had simply asked her to come with them. But whatever negative response the pride would have had originally would simply be amplified if he was found out. Simba began to wish that he'd never decided to return to the jungle.

All this time, Siri had remained silent. Though Simba already knew this was normal for her, he was sure she felt sadness about leaving her home. When she had come to them in the morning, prepared to leave, he noticed the ashes clinging to her paws-- a telltale sign that she had gone to say goodbye to Tamaa. He had begun to doubt her decision to leave with them, telling her it was fine if she stayed, but she had put on a brave face. She had said she wanted to move on-- forget the past.

"Do you want me to hunt for you?" she asked now, looking at the two lions lounging on the ground. "It's no trouble; I can see a herd right over there." Her eyes were already fixed on a spot some distance to the left; Simba was sure she was doing this to try to make herself feel less guilty. No matter how many times he had tried to comfort her, she continued to insist that the situation was all her fault.

"Siri, I'll do it," he said, getting up. The lioness's face fell. "You'll have plenty of chances to hunt in the Pridelands; you'll only tire yourself out if you do it now."

Nala nudged him with a paw. "Let her go," she said quietly. "Don't you see? She _wants_ to do it."

"All right," Simba said, nodding in her direction. Siri smiled, then dashed off in the direction of a gazelle that had gone astray from its herd. He turned back to his mate, who was staring across the plain with a contented expression on her face. This surprised him slightly; up until now Nala had seemed to be taking the situation harder than he had. He was curious as to why, but wasn't sure how to put it. It wasn't as though he could ask, "Why are you so happy?"

Nala seemed to sense his focus on her and turned to him, her face as serene as ever. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, a note of confusion present in her voice.

"Well, it's just..." Simba began, then shook his head. "I mean, I thought you were against this whole thing from the beginning. I know you never said so, but I can tell... you don't like Siri." At this, both lions shifted their attention to the direction of the herd. Siri was just an orange streak chasing after them, attempting to hone in on her target. "You said the last thing you wanted to do would be to take her back with us. But now, you seem-- fine with it."

Nala smiled. "It's because, well..." she began, choosing her words carefully, "last night, I did a lot of thinking. And I realized what we should do. We don't have to tell the pride that she might be your-- daughter." She looked away slightly before continuing. "We don't have to tell them anything."

Though this sounded reasonable, it still seemed a bit off to Simba. "But if they find out who she is--"

Nala placed a paw on one of his, pressing down firmly. "Trust me, they won't. Like I said, I've thought of this a lot. If we don't make a big deal out of her, they won't either. They'll only become suspicious if we give them a reason to." He couldn't see any holes in this logic, and nodded in agreement. His mate had always been a rational thinker. "And that's why I'm not worried anymore. Because in a couple of weeks, we can forget all about this. She'll just be... another member of the pride."

Simba could tell where she'd gotten this idea from. It had been the same with the former Outsiders. Vitani, trained by Zira all her life to kill, was now practically leader of a hunting party. Despite his worries of rebellion, up to this point there had been no animosity between the formerly divided prides. One more lioness added to the group would mean nothing to them. He leaned back against his mate, relaxed for the time being. He only hoped Nala's prediction would prove correct.

* * *

The sun slowly rose behind the three lions, shaking off the chill of early dawn. All the walking had begun to take a toll on them, yet they continued determinedly, hoping to make good progress before the sun reached its zenith. Siri was tired from the night before; as the day they were set to reach Pride Rock came closer and closer, she had gotten less and less sleep. However, despite having left her home, Tamaa's lessons to her hadn't been forgotten. She walked with as much energy as she could, trying not to let her exhaustion show.

Though no one spoke, Siri had an idea of what was going unsaid. She could tell from their glances that Simba and Nala were still unsure about this-- as she was-- but at the same time they seemed more casual, more self-assured. She didn't know why, as she felt any sense of confidence about meeting her new pride members steadily decreasing.

It wasn't as though she was being plunged into a completely unfamiliar world. Simba had told her about some of the other pride members; rough details, yet she was able to form pictures of them in her head. Sarabi, Simba's loving mother. Kiara, his daughter-- _my sister_, she realized with a jolt of astonishment-- and Kovu, her mate. Vitani, the huntress, and Sarafina, Nala's mother. Yet these were just simple profiles, they gave no real information about who these lions were, how they lived. Siri felt as though she were on the outside, looking into a world where she wasn't quite welcome.

The first relief she had gotten from the sun soon faded as it rose higher in the sky, making her feel almost as though it were blazing through her fur. She wasn't completely used to weather like this; the jungle where she'd lived was mostly cool and shaded. Siri had had to face temperatures like this only when hunting.

She glanced over to Simba and Nala, seeing that they were mostly unbothered. From the information she'd been given about the Pridelands, most of the kingdom was like this. She supposed she'd have to get used to it. But now she wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. The heat was getting to her; her head was throbbing intensely. Siri dropped to her side by a small waterhole. "Do you think we can take a break?" she asked, hoping she wouldn't slow them down too much.

"It's all right with me," Simba said. "We're almost there anyway."

Siri looked up, surprised. Though still a distance away, she could just make it out on the horizon. There it was-- the promontory of Pride Rock. It was larger than she'd expected, although it was hard to make out from where she lay. It seemed unusual, actually-- she'd lived her whole life in a jungle, yet here was a pride of lions who resided at a large rock. Though Tamaa had probably lived in a place similar to this, it still seemed strange to imagine that this was her new home.

Nala bent down beside her, drinking slowly from the waterhole. "Do you think you're ready?" she asked, looking into Siri's eyes.

She wasn't sure if Nala was asking if she was ready to leave, or ready to start living at Pride Rock. "I don't know," she replied, standing up. She supposed both questions were the same anyway. "Yeah, I guess I'm ready." And with that, the three continued forward, Siri taking in everything she saw.

By now they were within the boundaries of Simba's kingdom. Everywhere she looked, she was astonished. The fertile green lands stretched far into the distance, only broken up by stands of trees or pools of sparkling water. Herds were grazing some distance away, more numerous than the ones that had lived around and within the jungle. Bird calls sounded overhead, some completely unfamiliar to Siri. And with each step they took, Pride Rock seemed to grow more and more imposing. She began to wonder how Simba and Nala could be used to living here; she'd never seen a place so out in the open.

She became less amazed and more nervous as they reached the rock formation, however. Because there, lounging at its base or forming into hunting parties, were other lionesses. She couldn't make out any clearly, but it was unmistakable. As they got closer she began to distinguish between them: the Pridelanders, and the former Outsiders. The latter group reminded her more of Tamaa, with their dark-rimmed eyes and lithe builds. Siri briefly wondered if Simba had noticed the resemblance too.

She was broken out of her thoughts by a shout of joy. "Mom, Dad, you're back!" She looked up, seeing a young lioness running toward them. Kiara had golden fur with an undertone of orange; clearly Simba's daughter. Siri hung back slightly, wanting to look as inconspicuous as possible. "I didn't know you'd be back so early."

"Neither did we," said Nala, her eyes briefly flickering to Siri. "How did everything go?"

Kiara's bright red eyes shone with joy. "Oh, it was great," she said happily. She moved around them excitedly as she continued. "There weren't any problems at all; I think Kovu did a really great job!" At this her eyes fell upon Siri. "Who is this?" she asked, in a voice not unkind, only curious. Simba and Nala exchanged brief glances, unnoticed by Kiara. Siri's heart pounded nervously; what were they going to say?

"This is Siri," Simba said. "She's come to join our pride."

* * *

A/N: I know this chapter is more slow-moving and introspective than the others, and that it could've been skipped completely, but I kind of felt like I needed it to move the story along properly. The next chapter definitely will have more happen in it than this. Thanks for reading so far, and any reviews would be greatly appreciated!


	11. Mounting Suspicions

A/N: Seeing as I only have about four days of classes left, I'm hoping I'll be able to update this more frequently. Janja is my character; don't use her without asking. Thanks for your support so far, and I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

_Mounting Suspicions_

"They're back early," commented Sarafina, squinting to see the lions through the glaring sunlight. Sarabi nodded, she too glancing up from the rock on which she reclined. Sure enough, they were steadily approaching Pride Rock, Kiara leading the way. Yet as they neared the rock structure, Sarabi noticed a fourth member of the group, trailing slightly behind the others.

"Who do you think that is?" she asked, leaning forward to get a better view. Sarabi could make the lioness out more clearly from this position, yet didn't recognize her in the slightest. A glance at her friend told her Sarafina was as confused as she was. The lionesses on the rocks above and behind her began murmuring to each other as well, and the Outsiders paused in the formation of their hunting party.

"It looks like we'll find out soon enough," Sarafina answered, standing up from where she lounged. Sarabi did the same, moving closer to her son and daughter-in-law as Kiara rejoined her mate. The mysterious lioness remained behind Simba and Nala, staring down at her paws. She didn't look up even as Sarabi approached.

Sarabi smiled as she saw Simba, trying not to stare at the other lioness. "It's good to see you again," she said, rubbing her head against her son's. "How was everything in the jungle?"

"It was fine," Nala answered quickly, walking closer to the other lions as she spoke. "But as you can see, we weren't exactly alone." By this point they had reached the base of Pride Rock, and Simba began speaking to the pride in general.

"This is Siri," he said as the young lioness took several steps forward. "Her home in the jungle was destroyed by a fire. From now on, she'll be staying with us as a member of our pride." He turned to Siri. "Feel free to make yourself at home."

Siri looked up at Simba, gratitude showing in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. Simba nodded in response, before setting off with Nala in the direction of their daughter. The young lioness's eyes briefly flickered over the rest of the pride, taking in her surroundings. Though she said nothing to show it, Sarabi was still slightly confused. Of course it would be natural for any new pride member to feel grateful, but there seemed to be something beyond that showing on the young lioness's countenance. Something almost like-- relief.

There was something strange about that, though Sarabi couldn't quite put her paw on it. It had seemed almost as though Siri had feared that Simba might say something else, though what that could be she had no idea. Changing the subject, she said, "It's nice to meet you, Siri. I'm Sarabi, Simba's mother."

Siri smiled at her, though her darting eyes showed her nervousness. "I'm glad to meet you, too. Simba's told me a lot about you." The lioness turned away abruptly, seeming unsure of what to do. Sarabi knew Siri didn't feel like talking to her, but this shyness only interested her more. Her chance of speaking with her further was broken by a call from Vitani.

"Hey, Siri, do you want to go hunting with us? We need all the help we can get." Siri looked nervously from Sarabi to Vitani, as though trying to make a decision.

"I wouldn't mind if you went with them," Sarabi said, turning her head to the direction of the hunting party. "We can always talk later." Siri nodded in response before turning away, already getting into formation with the other lionesses. After watching them begin to set off toward the savanna, Sarabi returned to her position on the sun-baked rock next to Sarafina.

"She seems like a nice girl, doesn't she?" Sarafina asked, glancing at the retreating hunting party. "Bit shy, though." Though Sarafina didn't seem to find anything unusual about the situation, Sarabi felt she needed to talk to someone about it.

"Sarafina," she began, "doesn't this whole thing seem kind of... strange?"

"How so?" she asked, her blue-green eyes narrowed in confusion. "It's not like we haven't had other lions join our pride before."

"When I was down there with Simba, Siri seemed relieved when he was done talking. Almost like she was afraid of what he was about to say," Sarabi said. "Don't you find that kind of strange?"

Sarafina shook her head. "Not really. I think you might be thinking about this too much. It's probably nothing."

Sarabi laid her head on her paws. "I guess you're right," she muttered, letting her mind wander. The words of her friend had done little to change her suspicious thoughts. Sarafina _was_ right; many nomads had come to Pride Rock and stayed permanently. Yet the jungle was so far away; why had Siri traveled that distance when there were surely other places in the jungle she could live? And furthermore, Siri had seemed quiet and introvertive. Why would she leave the solitude of the jungle to live with a whole pride of other lions?

She took her mind off of the young lioness, thinking of Nala. Though neither she nor Simba had said very much, Sarabi had noticed that she had seemed distinctly uncomfortable when Siri was introduced to the pride. When Sarabi had asked how their trip had gone, Nala had answered a little too quickly, as though trying to change the subject. But why? What did she want to conceal?

Sarabi shook her head. Maybe she really was reading too much into the whole situation. Though she hated to admit it, she definitely wasn't young anymore. She couldn't be getting senile, could she? But then her thoughts turned back to her son. Simba had only told them the bare minimum about Siri, as if he had chosen his words carefully. He hadn't told them everything, that was for sure. Between the three of them, it was undeniable: they were keeping something from the rest of the pride. And though she wasn't an obtrusive lioness by nature, Sarabi was going to find out what it was.

* * *

As Siri approached the hunting party, made up of a small group of the former Outsiders, she could sense the eyes of everyone there on her. Trying not to show her embarrassment, she forced a smile onto her face and tried to look confident. Vitani looked at her appraisingly, though it seemed to be more out of necessity for the hunt than curiosity. "Can you run fast?" the sandy-colored lioness asked.

"I guess so," Siri replied, trying to keep her tone even, "but I'm not very good at bringing down kills."

"That's no big deal," she said. "You could help Janja distract the prey." Vitani pointed to a light-brown lioness, older than herself but younger than Simba and Nala, whose orange eyes were still focused firmly on Siri. "I do most of the dirty work anyway, and like I said, any kind of help is fine. You don't mind, do you, Janj?"

"Not at all," Janja said in a flat tone. Siri was unnerved by the lioness's constant stares, briefly wondering what kept her attention. By now, the other members of the hunting party had lost interest in their newest member, scanning the Pridelands for any unsuspecting herds. Janja only tore her attention away at Vitani's whispered command.

"Zebra herd up ahead. Janja, Siri, try to stay downwind." At this, the two lionesses stalked off toward their prey, the rest of the hunting party following a few paces behind. Siri was almost surprised at how quickly the older lioness became focused. Janja's stride was slow, methodical; her eyes fixed only on her target. Unconsciously, Siri tried imitating her, feeling as though her own awkwardness were magnified a thousandfold. Soon they were within only meters of the zebras, so close Siri feared they would hear her nervous breathing.

"Get ready," Janja whispered, her voice emotionless. "Even the smallest mistake could cost us a meal." Siri nodded in agreement; after several failed hunts in the jungle, she knew this from experience. "We'll try for that one on the left." They edged ever closer, Siri's heart pounding with exhilaration. This was her first day in the Pridelands, and she was eager to prove herself as a member. She only hoped this would be one of her luckier hunts.

Once they reached an unseen boundary line, Janja pounced to the right of the desired zebra. Caught off guard, Siri quickly tried to follow her initiative, leaping to the left. Janja raised her paw toward the zebra as if to strike, claws extended. The lioness was clearly in her element here, her skill honed by years of experience. Eager to avoid the slashing claws, her target turned quickly in the opposite direction. The zebra's frightened movement toward Siri momentarily surprised her, but she imitated Janja as best she could. The assaults on both sides caused the zebra to dash forward, where it was met by Vitani and the rest of the hunting party.

Her work done, Siri watched, impressed, as Vitani brought the zebra down. Her skill at hunting seemed better than that of Hifadhi, the only hunter she'd known until recently. The lioness moved quickly, seeming almost like a blur. Though the other members of the hunting party stood not far behind her, Vitani needed no assistance, and the zebra was dead in a matter of seconds. Janja stood casually beside her; it was obvious that this was an ordinary occurrence. For what must have been the fiftieth time that day, Siri wondered how she would ever get used to life here.

"You guys did a great job," said Vitani, more to Siri than Janja. She stood up from her kill. "Help me with this thing, will ya?" As she had so many times for Tamaa, Siri unthinkingly tore off a leg from the carcass. And without warning, her thoughts returned to her mother. What would Tamaa think of this? Siri didn't have to wonder; she already knew the answer. Tamaa wouldn't have liked the situation at all.

Words came to her, the lessons her mother had ingrained in her mind over the years. "This jungle is the only place you can be truly safe. If you leave, I can't guarantee your safety." "Normal prides don't accept outsiders. If they seem like they trust you, it's only because they're planning to stab you in the back." And the most important of all, the one Siri had broken so many times by now: "Don't trust anyone you don't already know." What if she was right? Tamaa hadn't talked about her past much at all, not even to Simba; maybe she had been speaking from experience.

Vitani must have noticed a change in her face, for she faced Siri with a concerned expression. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Not wanting to concern any more lions with her problems, Siri shook her head and dropped the leg from her mouth. "No, I'm fine. Really." Vitani looked at her for a second longer, then turned back to the zebra. From the corner of her eye, Siri saw Janja staring at her again. The lioness's stares unnerved her, though she tried not to show it. _It's nothing_, she told herself, picking the meat back up. _You're overreacting_. Yet the thought that the lioness didn't trust her refused to leave her mind.

As she followed the hunting party back to Pride Rock, she wondered what to do. Should she say something to Simba, or speak to Janja herself? Even as she thought these things, she knew she could never do them. She was not confrontational, and the last thing on her mind was risking her chance of staying with the pride. Besides, if Janja really did have something against her, Simba would be able to stop her if she tried attacking, wouldn't he? Siri consoled herself with the thought that she was probably wrong. Maybe the lioness was just curious about a new pride member, maybe she herself was only being paranoid. Whatever the reason was, the only way to face it was to keep moving forward.

* * *

Vitani glanced over at the lioness sleeping in the far corner of the pride's communal cave as she prepared to make her way down Pride Rock. Though it was still only sunset, she supposed Siri was still tired from the walk from the jungle as well as the hunt earlier that day. Hearing someone behind her, she turned to see Janja, who wore an expression that showed she'd expected to be alone. Vitani sighed, suspecting it had to do with Siri. "What is it, Janj?"

"Nothing," the older lioness replied calmly. "Why do you ask?" Vitani rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to pretend," she said. "I've seen you staring at that lioness all day. What's going on?"

"If you must know, I was going to speak to her," Janja replied. "There's something strange about Siri being here, and I intend to find out what it is. Unfortunately, it seems like there's no hope of getting any sort of answer out of her, either now or later. She's practically mute--"

"Whoa, hold on a second," Vitani said. "What's so strange about her being here?"

Janja answered as quickly as if she'd been thinking over it all day, which Vitani supposed she had. "Don't you remember when we joined the pride?" she asked, indicating "we" by waving a foreleg over the Outsiders on the rocks below. "It took them weeks to trust us, and I suspect some of them still don't." Vitani nodded; some of the Pridelanders still seemed to view her merely as an annoyance. "Yet _she_," she pointed to Siri, "comes back here with the king and queen, and right away we all have to accept her. You can't say there's not something odd about that."

Vitani had to agree. "But still," she said, "I don't think it matters that much. Why do you care?" Janja glared at her.

"You can't tell me you don't remember where you came from," she said, jerking her head in the direction of the Outlands. "All our lives we were given the short end of the stick, and no one batted an eye. While we scrounged for termites for our meals, the Pridelanders sat in the lap of luxury. We weren't even allowed in!" She glared at Siri's sleeping form. "And now this lioness shows up, and _we're _expected to accommodate her. There has to be more to it than Simba told us."

Vitani knew where her friend was coming from. Janja had still been a cub when her mother was banished to the Outlands, and had therefore had no choice about staying or going. When she was finally admitted into the land where she was born and raised, the land she'd yearned to enter, she was met with suspicious stares and cold remarks from some of the less welcoming Pridelanders. Yet Vitani still didn't think there was any more to Siri's story than what she'd been told; Janja had always had strange ideas.

"I don't know, Janj," she replied. "You're blowing this a little out of proportion here. I don't want you doing anything crazy."

"Must you underestimate me?" Janja asked. "I only want to talk to her, get some answers. I'd like to know why she gets special treatment over us." Vitani laughed shortly.

"Do you really think she's going to answer you by now?" she asked incredulously. "The way you've been gawking at her, I wouldn't be surprised if she thought you were plotting to murder her!" She laughed again, though Janja's eyes lit up as though she'd gotten an idea.

"Then why don't _you _talk to her?" she asked, nodding encouragingly.

"_Me_?" Vitani asked, shocked. "I don't even know her!"

"Exactly," Janja replied. "All she knows of you is what she saw on the hunt. I'd say that between us, she'd choose you over me any day. Just try to get close to her, make friends, and once she feels comfortable with you, she'll tell you anything!" She paused thoughtfully. "Besides, you're the sister of the future king. She'll have to trust you."

"I guess you're right," Vitani answered hesitantly. "But what if there's really not some big secret? What if I'm doing this for nothing?" Janja smirked.

"Then you'll have a new friend, won't you?" She began descending from Pride Rock, calling over her shoulder, "This can't go wrong; it's a simple plan. Just play your cards right!" Vitani collapsed onto the rocks, thinking. It seemed way too unlikely that there was some bigger reason Siri had come to Pride Rock other than that her home had been destroyed. Yet Janja wouldn't change her mind once she had a plan, and would continue with it no matter how dangerous it could be. All she could do by now was play the part she'd been given.

As she thought more, however, Vitani figured that if she made friends with Siri, things would work out well either way. If Siri really was hiding something, she would find out, and Janja could take up any issues that arose with Simba instead of her. And if Siri wasn't hiding anything, then things could continue normally. _Win-win situation, right?_, Vitani thought. She still felt distinctly uncomfortable, though. In fact, the whole situation seemed ridiculous.

She didn't want to manipulate Siri, and didn't know what the consequences would be if she were caught. And although Janja said she only wanted to talk with her, Vitani had seen her friend's reckless temperament get the better of her before. Even if something was being kept from the pride, it wouldn't change anything if she found out what it was. And if Janja complained to Simba about being treated unfairly, what good would that do anyone? She laid her head on the stones with a sigh.

_Why am I always roped into these things?_

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I know I really liked working on it. I don't like begging for reviews, but I guess you're used to it by now. So yeah, I'd love to hear what you thought of it! I'll see you next time!


	12. Keeping the Secret

A/N: Just a few days ago, when I was trying to decide how this chapter would go, an idea for a new story hit me like a ton of bricks. So as soon as this is over, I'm going to begin working on it. I'm just saying this so that you'll check it out if it interests you. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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_Keeping the Secret_

Siri slowly opened her eyes, feeling momentarily disoriented as she got to her paws. Where was she? Scanning the area around her, she remembered with a jolt: Pride Rock, her new home. Lionesses lay sleeping all around her, some on jutting ledges, others on the stone floor like her. Simba and Nala reposed on a raised platform in the cave's center. She inhaled reflexively; when she'd gone to sleep the cave had been empty.

Her heart racing, she negotiated her way to the exit, making sure to avoid stepping on another's paws. She sighed with relief as she stepped into the cool, gray light of the early morning, glad that she hadn't awakened anyone. Back in the jungle, her cave was empty enough that she'd never had to do that. Back in the jungle she'd had Tamaa and Hifadhi. With a shuddering sigh, she made her way to the edge of the rock's promontory and laid down, her front paws hanging over the edge. Even surrounded by the pride she felt alone.

She watched the horizon as the sun slowly rose, painting the mists a pale orange. The Pridelands stretched before her, their scope overwhelming from where she lay. Yesterday she hadn't really had a chance to appreciate it, but now.... Siri was simply awed. As the sun rose higher and higher, illuminating the lands below, she could see it all as never before. Gently rising slopes, their shadows sharply contrasting the growing dawn, and sparkling waterholes, already receiving their first herds of the day. And outside the borders, to the south, a mysterious, shadowy ridge. She couldn't imagine how it felt to rule over lands like this.

Yet even as wonderful as these lands seemed, she felt as though she didn't belong. Her home was the jungle, peaceful and secluded; she had never been meant for life in a pride. She couldn't deny it: gnawing at her heart was the feeling that she couldn't live here, that she had to return to the jungle. Even if it were true that Simba was her father, he didn't feel like one. He was kind to her, certainly, but there was no bond, no emotional connection like she had felt with Tamaa and Hifadhi. And though she showed no sign of it in her words or actions, Siri got the feeling that Nala didn't like her. Though her own had not exactly been conventional, Siri knew this wasn't how a family should feel.

And Kiara.... If Simba really was her father, then Kiara would be her half-sister. But Kiara didn't even know this, no one else did. How could Siri live with that knowledge, keeping it from the rest of the pride even when Kiara ascended the throne? Worse yet, how would the pride react if her secret was revealed? She shook her head. Why had she even agreed to come to the Pridelands? All it had brought her were more complications.

"Hey," came a voice from behind her. Siri lifted her head, turning to see Vitani standing a few feet away. "I was wondering where you were." Vitani moved a few steps closer.

"Why?" Siri asked curiously, getting to her paws. "Are you going hunting again?" Vitani shook her head.

"It's a little early for that," she replied. "And anyway, the Pridelanders are hunting today." Her royal-blue eyes focused on Siri's own. "But really, why are you out here all alone? Is there something wrong?"

Siri didn't know what to say; she could barely face the realities of the situation on her own, much less tell them to another lioness. But what if Vitani was already suspicious as to why she was here? Thinking quickly, Siri decided she would answer. She just wouldn't tell the whole truth. Nodding slowly, she replied, keeping her eyes focused on the rock below. "I guess I'm... just a little homesick."

Vitani's expression was sympathetic as she spoke. "I know _exactly_ where you're coming from. I've been through the same thing." She paused, reflecting. "Although in my case, it was really more like 'sick of home'." Though she knew it was supposed to be a joke, Siri found that statement more intriguing than amusing.

"Why do you say that?" she asked. Though Simba had told her that Vitani and several other lions, including Kovu, had formerly lived in a place called the Outlands, she hadn't thought it had been _that_ bad.

"I suppose you didn't pass through the Outlands on your way here, then?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Siri shook her head. "Well, trust me, you don't want to. I lived in a termite mound, if you can believe it. It was incredibly hot, and there was barely any water.... Not exactly a prime vacation spot, if you get my drift."

Siri was surprised to hear this. Though the jungle sometimes had dry spells, it was mostly plentiful and a comfortable place to live. "I can't imagine that," she said. "Back in the jungle, sometimes it felt like there was_ too_ much water. At the worst, sometimes it rained nonstop for days." Vitani's eyes seemed to briefly light up.

"Was the jungle a pretty good home, then?" she asked casually.

"I guess it was," Siri replied. "It was the only home I ever had."

"If it was such a good place," Vitani began, "then why did you leave it to come here?"

Siri's eyes widened; she was caught. The other lioness must have known Siri was keeping something from her, and was trying to get answers out of her. If she told the truth, her secret would be out and there would be nothing she could do. If she didn't answer, she'd only draw more attention to herself. She spoke quickly, not realizing what she'd said until the words were already out of her mouth. "I don't really want to talk about it." To her surprise, Vitani seemed almost relieved.

"That's all right, then," she said in a friendly tone. "I mean, I know it wasn't my business to ask or anything like that..." As she trailed off, Siri's attention was distracted. Janja was at the bottom of Pride Rock, staring up at the two of them. Vitani broke off from her words and followed Siri's gaze.

"She's been watching me since I got here," Siri said. "Do you have any idea why?"

"Don't worry about Janja," Vitani said. "She's like that with everyone. You know, really observant. It's nothing personal." She returned Janja's stare, her eyes narrowed. The brown lioness stared at them a moment longer before turning away. "Honest."

Vitani's sudden attention, as well as the thought that Janja was still watching her, made Siri nervous. She didn't want to talk anymore, for fear that she'd be asked another revealing question. All she wanted to do was return to the cave and decide what her best plan of action was. "I-- well, it's nothing against you, but," Siri began, shuffling her paws, "I kind of want to be alone right now." She turned her gaze to the ground.

"I understand," Vitani said. "It's hard getting used to living in a new place. I mean, sometimes I still feel like I don't fit in here." She moved to leave. Despite her words, Siri felt guilty about breaking up their conversation.

"Maybe we can talk some other time?" she asked.

"Sure," Vitani replied, making her way to descend Pride Rock. "Some other time." Siri paused to watch her leave before making her way to the pride's cave, now completely empty. As she curled in the corner she'd vacated that night, her only plan of action was escape. Escape from Pride Rock, and a return to her home.

* * *

Simba stood at the base of Pride Rock, watching the hunting party in the distance. Though he was far away, he thought he could make out Nala at the head. Hearing someone padding up behind him, he turned, only to see his mother. "Simba, there's something I'd like to speak to you about," Sarabi said in a low voice, moving to stand beside him.

"What is it?" he asked. Sarabi shook her head, moving a few steps to the west.

"Not here," she whispered, her eyes focused on a cluster of trees. "Over there, away from the rest of the pride." With that she walked off, Simba falling into step beside her. As he followed, he could only wonder what it was she wanted to talk about. In the back of his mind, however, he knew: It was about Siri. It seemed like everything these days had to do with the strange lioness from the jungle. Yet even as they reached the trees, part of him still clung onto the faint hope that he was wrong.

"I feel like there's something you and Nala are keeping from us," Sarabi said, sitting at the base of a tree. She paused before speaking again, her voice soft. "I know it's not my place to get involved in your life. You're not a cub anymore. But I'd like to know: Is there something you're not telling us about Siri?"

Simba sighed. He'd hoped the situation would never have to come to this, but knew he had no choice but to tell the truth. "I know this might seem surprising," he began, "but I thought I'd never have to tell you. Back when I was living in the jungle, I knew Siri's mother, Tamaa. We didn't know each other for a really long time, but we thought we were going to be mates. After she left me, I practically forgot about her," he said, casting a glance to Sarabi. She seemed as calm as ever. "When Nala and I came across Siri in the jungle, though, I realized that... she could be my daughter."

Though Sarabi still seemed calm outwardly, her voice was tinged with surprise. "Is that why you took her back with you?"

"Yes and no," Simba replied, relieved that she wasn't as shocked as he'd feared. "Tamaa died in the fire that destroyed her home. Siri had no one else. We thought maybe she'd like it better here-- in a normal pride, with other lionesses for company." Sarabi nodded.

"Are you going to tell the rest of the pride?" she asked, standing up.

"I don't think so," he answered. "Nala and I decided it could cause too much trouble, what with the Outsiders being here. I mean, we weren't even going to tell you." Sarabi frowned slightly.

"But what about Kiara?" she asked. "She has the right to know about this."

"If I told her, she would only feel like she can't trust me," Simba said. "I don't want that happening again. And besides, she hasn't spoken to Siri since she got here. If anything, that would make it _more_ awkward." His mother nodded slowly, but her eyes showed she was still troubled.

"I understand what you're saying," Sarabi said, "but you can't keep something like this hidden forever." She placed a paw on one of his. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I think you should tell Kiara. Please."

"I wish it were that easy, but I don't know how she'd take it," he said. "I'll have to think about it some more." Simba abruptly turned around, hearing his daughter's voice. She was running toward him at top speed, the rest of the hunting party still trailing behind.

"Daddy, you won't believe it!" she shouted excitedly. "I brought down my first kill!"

"Really? That's great!" he exclaimed. Inwardly, however, he felt as though this only complicated the situation further. If he told Kiara the truth about Siri today, it would ruin the happiness she'd obtained from the hunt. The only option he had would be to put it off longer. Glancing momentarily in Sarabi's direction, he shook his head, mouthing the words "Not now".

"Do you want to go see it?" she asked, making her way to Pride Rock. "I have to tell Kovu first, though."

"Of course," Simba replied, following. "I'm really proud of you!" Though he hoped Kiara's accomplishment would push the thoughts of Siri from his mind, he knew that what Sarabi said was true. He couldn't keep the truth about her hidden forever.

* * *

The Outlands were barren but for the towering mounds that protruded from the sun-scorched ground, and with the exception of the omnipresent termites, completely devoid of life. All life, that is, except for a lone lioness who stood in the center, near the largest termite mound. With a growl she swiped at the structure next to her, knocking off a chunk with her claws. Several insects skittered away, disturbed by the sudden attack on their home. "I'd like to see that lioness spend even one night here," she muttered, glancing in the direction of Pride Rock before turning roughly away and entering the mound.

Janja hated the injustice of the situation. Only a few weeks ago this had been her home-- _More like a prison_, she thought-- and the Pridelands had seemed like a distant dream. She had been exiled along with her mother when she was nearly an adolescent-- old enough to know she didn't want to go, but young enough that she had no choice. Even now she received scathing looks from some of the Pridelanders whenever she tried to associate with them. But _Siri_....

The young lioness had been accepted almost instantaneously by everyone in the pride, and no one else seemed to share Janja's suspicions about her. There was definitely more of a reason than Simba had given as to why she was here. And even Siri herself seemed to be concealing something from the others; Janja was sure her unwillingness to talk was a ruse to avoid any difficult questions that could come her way. But the thing Janja couldn't put her paw on was what exactly she could be hiding.

Luckily Vitani was talking to her, was probably getting information from Siri even as she paced under the blazing sun. Janja had purposely left the Pridelands to give the two of them more privacy, as well as to alleviate her friend's worries that she would do "anything crazy". But her thoughts kept returning to the puzzle of Siri's joining the pride. And the longer she turned the problem over in her mind, the more eager she was to receive answers. Then and there, Janja made up her mind. If Vitani couldn't get the truth from Siri, she would herself.

As she made her plan, she unconsciously paced through the labyrinthine pathways of the termite mound, familiar to her as her own claws. She wouldn't do anything drastic; she'd only talk. But not the way she'd told Vitani to, by way of making an acquaintance with her. No, Janja would lay the truth in front of Siri from the start; let the lioness know she was aware that something was being kept from the rest of the pride. Siri would have no choice but to tell her.

She thought her idea over as she made her way back to Pride Rock, barely registering the slowly dropping sun or the landscape around her. This plan was simpler than the one she'd given Vitani; there was no way it could go wrong. Janja was elated as she neared the stone structure, her piercing eyes scanning the area for Siri. Her friend's voice from nearby broke her concentration.

"Hey, Janj, I've been wondering where you were," Vitani said, leaping down from the rock on which she reclined. "I haven't seen you for hours."

"That's not important," she said tersely. "What did Siri tell you?"

Vitani rocked from side to side hesitantly. "Well, not too much, to be honest." Janja rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't matter how much," she said. "What did she say?"

"Well, right off the bat she said something strange," Vitani began. "She said she was homesick, which to me makes it sound like she'd rather be in the jungle than here." Janja nodded.

"Go on," she muttered, turning the information over in her mind. "Anything else?"

"Only more on the same issue," Vitani said. "She said the jungle was a good place; the only home she'd ever had."

"Which brings us to another question," Janja said. "If it was such a good home, then why did she leave in the first place? But that's not really important. What did she tell you after that?"

"Well, I asked her that same question," Vitani said, as the older lioness nodded encouragingly. "But then she clammed up. She said she didn't want to talk about it, and went back to the cave. In fact, she's been in there all day."

Janja scowled. "So basically, we're back to square one."

"Hey, I tried," Vitani said. "I doubt you could've done any better."

"Interesting you say that, Vitani," Janja said, "because I'm going to go talk to her right now. I'll let her know that _we_ know something's up, and she won't be able to do anything but tell me what it is. If there's nothing, we won't need to involve ourselves any further." She looked up to the pride's cave. "But if there _is_ something, then I'll be speaking to Simba about this little show of favoritism."

"I don't think you're the best lioness for the job, Janj," Vitani said, standing in front of her to block her way up Pride Rock.

"And why not?" she asked, offended.

"When I spoke to her this morning, she mentioned you staring at her," Vitani said. She shook her head in disbelief. "Here's a tip: The next time you try to eavesdrop, or whatever it is you were doing down there, try to stay out of your target's line of sight."

Janja walked around her, her face set in steely determination. "I can't wait any longer!" she growled. "Look, I'm not planning on doing anything major. I just want some answers." She made her way up Pride Rock, turning around halfway. "If all goes well, it'll be over in less than five minutes." And with that, the Outsider made her way to the cave where Siri lay unaware, focused on nothing but the impending confrontation.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this! By this point I'd say there's not going to be much more before the end. Any reviews or criticisms would be great. I'll see you next time!


	13. A Mind Made Up

A/N: By now, I'd say this story's practically at its end. And when I think about it, I'll have been working on it for almost three months by the time it's complete. It doesn't feel like it's been _that_ long, though. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!

* * *

_A Mind Made Up_

Pride Rock's cave was tranquil, nearly empty in the early evening and faintly lit by the night's first stars. As she reclined comfortably in a corner, suspended between sleep and waking, Siri almost didn't notice the soft padding of the approaching lioness. The sound of her steps was lost to Siri's haze of peaceful relaxation, until a whisper cut through the silence. Even this did not disturb her; she was wholly focused on regaining the rest she had been deprived of for the past few days. Her eyes only opened at the feeling of another shaking her shoulder, gently yet firmly.

"Siri, get up," came the voice from behind her, slightly louder than before. Siri knew she had heard this lioness before, but she couldn't remember where. Turning over, the first thing her eyes locked upon were the intense orange ones of another. Her heart skipped a beat; it was Janja. The lioness nudged her again. "Come on, I know you're awake."

Siri got unsteadily to her paws, trying to hide her nervousness. A quick scan around the cave revealed that, with the exception of a few sleeping lionesses, she and Janja were alone. In an effort to appear braver than she felt, she voiced the foremost question on her mind. "What do you want?" It only occurred to her that these words could be taken as rude after she'd already said them.

"You don't have to get so suspicious," Janja said in a smooth tone. "I only want to talk." It took Siri all of her will to not let her panic show. The sinking feeling of that morning returned; did Janja know she was hiding something too? Her mind raced through possible options, but she could only think of one: _Don't let her know_. She swallowed hard.

"About what?" she asked, relieved her voice came out steady. Janja shook her head scornfully.

"Not here," she said in a low voice, casting her gaze to the resting lionesses. "Do you want to get everyone else up too?" She turned around roughly, making her way to the cave's exit. "Outside." Siri followed, catching up to the Outsider's long stride. As they stepped outside, she looked around nervously. Though they could be seen from below Pride Rock, the two of them were completely alone.

Siri turned resolutely to face Janja, but quailed at the lioness's piercing stare. Inhaling sharply, she turned her eyes to her paws. "What is it?" she asked, not bothering to hide the tremor in her voice. The Outsider remained silent, and though Siri couldn't see her face, she was sure she was enjoying this. "Please, Janja. What do you want to ask?"

Janja's tone was one of mock surprise. "Who said I was going to _ask_ anything? I just said I wanted to talk." Siri lifted her head to see Janja circling her slowly, her eyes bright. She paused suddenly, almost dramatically, before she spoke again. "And what I want to talk about-- is _you_, Siri." Siri took a few steps backward, so that she was halfway in the cave.

"Why would you want to talk about me?" she asked, knowing full well why. The other lioness smirked, and Siri knew that she might as well have admitted she was hiding something. She looked down at her paws, breathing quickly. "I have nothing to say." It seemed almost like a miracle that her voice was stronger this time.

"Oh, but you do," Janja said. She smiled, the light from the rising moon glinting off her teeth. Siri felt the way she had in the jungle, when she accidentally came across a stampeding herd or a fierce elephant. Those times she had escaped, but now she felt as though her paws were fused to the ground. Never before had she been confronted by a fellow lioness. She unconsciously extended her claws as Janja moved closer. "I'd like to know the whole story, right from the beginning. Starting from when you came across Simba and Nala."

At first Siri was relieved that she hadn't been asked a dangerous question, but realized with a jolt that if she told Janja, she'd have to keep going. "There's nothing to say about that," she stammered. "I was going hunting, and I guess Nala and I kind of... crossed paths." Janja took another step closer. "Really, that's it."

"It looks as though I really do need to ask something," the Outsider said. "Why would you leave the place you grew up in to go with two lions you'd only known a few days?" Siri inhaled, feeling more confident.

"My home was destroyed in a fire," she said, knowing it was a lie. It was comforting to know that Janja didn't, though. "I had nowhere else to go, and they told me I could come back with them and join the pride. What other choice did I have?" She left the shadows of the cave, walking until Janja was the one closer to the den. Sighing in exasperation, Janja slammed the ground with her paw.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend anymore," she growled, stalking toward Siri with eyes narrowed. All Siri could do was back away. "There's something you're keeping from us! I can tell. Admit it: there's a bigger reason you came here than you're letting on." Though she knew she'd been found out, Siri shook her head. Janja spoke slowly, dangerously. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to know."

"Why?" Siri asked, her voice almost frantic. "Why do you care? What does it matter to you?"

"I was kept from entering the Pridelands for years," she said. "I could only watch from a distance. Do you know what it's like in the Outlands?" Siri nodded. "No, you don't," Janja said harshly. "All I did there-- all I _could_ do-- was look for food and train. Train, in the hopes that one day I could reclaim my place here."

"But what does that--" Siri began.

Janja cut her off. "As I said, I wasn't allowed in. None of us Outsiders were. And even now, we're still hated by the majority of the pride." She faced Siri coldly. "But you came right in here from the jungle, no questions asked. And I know there's a reason why."

Siri's heart was pounding, and her claws were going in and out spasmodically. Even so, she tried to keep an even tone. "There isn't. Please, stop asking me these things."

"Not until I get an answer," Janja said. "Trust me, Siri: I can wait all night." She took a step closer. Siri backed further away, eyes darting from side to side. Didn't anybody notice them? Why wasn't anyone helping?

"Look, I'm not keeping anything from you," Siri said, all rational thought replaced with pure fear. "I don't want to talk anymore." Janja growled.

"Well, _I_ do," she said. "I don't see why you're acting so nervous. All I want is--"

At that moment, acting on instinct alone, Siri swiped at Janja, claws extended. Her training in the Outlands not forgotten, Janja quickly stepped to the side, the lioness's claws just grazing her left cheek. Siri stared, wide-eyed, as a trickle of blood ran from the cut. She had never meant to hurt her; she'd only acted reflexively. In fact, Siri seemed more surprised than Janja herself.

With a gasp, she ran around the Outsider and back to the cave, her head lowered in deference. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-- I'm sorry!" she stammered, retreating to the corner. Though Siri hoped no one had seen her, that wasn't her foremost thought. Then and there, she made her decision. It was clear she couldn't live in a pride, and come the first light of dawn, she'd return to the jungle, her home.

* * *

Janja rubbed the cut on her face, wondering what to do next. She had to admit, the events of the last minute or so were unexpected. _Didn't think she had it in her_, she thought. Even with her speed, the lioness had still managed to strike her. That wasn't important, though; the cut wasn't deep enough to scar, and she was completely blameless. After all, she hadn't been the one to attack. She turned, hearing someone approach.

"What'd I tell you, Janj?" Vitani asked, pushing a tuft of fur out of her eyes. "I said you shouldn't go talk to her, but did you listen to me?"

"Just shut up, will you? I managed to find something out," Janja said, following Vitani farther down Pride Rock, away from the cave.

"And what would that be?" she asked skeptically. "'If you repeatedly stalk and harass someone, you might end up getting hurt'? Because from where I was," she went on, gesturing to the rock from which she had watched the scene, "it didn't seem like Siri was willing to talk. Of course, I couldn't hear anything, but when you threatened her.... If you hadn't moved, she would've got you good."

"Damn it, I wasn't threatening her," Janja growled. "I told her to tell me the truth. She wouldn't do it. Then she went crazy on me and ran back into the cave." Vitani nodded.

"Yeah, I saw that part," she said. "But that's beside the point. What did you find out?"

"Well, from the moment I came into the cave, Siri didn't exactly seem eager to talk to me," Janja said. Vitani rolled her eyes.

"Hmm, wonder why," she muttered under her breath. Janja shoved her.

"Try to take this seriously, all right? I mean, she started panicking right away," Janja said. "She was just staring at the ground, and hyperventilating, and avoiding all my questions. And when she finally did answer them, it was with pretty much the same words Simba used when she came here." She paused, glancing in the general direction of the cave. Vitani nodded expectantly. "And just now, when I told her I knew she was hiding something, she snapped."

"And that tells us what, exactly?" Vitani asked. "She came off as a nervous type right away to me."

"It tells us that there really is something about her that Simba's hiding," Janja finished confidently. Vitani stared, unimpressed.

"How is that any different from what you said last night?"

Janja grinned. "This time we know for sure."

"Or there really isn't some secret they're keeping, and Siri's just reacting to you like any normal lioness would, given the circumstances. It doesn't seem to me like you found out anything," Vitani said.

"Well, Vitani, you can be the judge of that tomorrow," Janja said. "Try to get more information from her, then we'll talk."

Vitani shook her head. "After what happened tonight with you, I don't think she'll want to talk to me."

"So you think she'll talk to _me_?" Janja stared at her in disbelief. "Look, you're the only one who can do this. We won't find out anything if we just leave this situation alone, and I don't want to involve another lioness in this."

"Janj, you're hopeless," Vitani said. She stared at her friend appraisingly. "But you know, I'll talk to her anyway. Just try to leave us alone, all right? No eavesdropping, no threats--"

"I get it," Janja said, cutting her off. "You know, I'm not just doing this for myself. I want the Outsiders to be able to live here as equals. I want them to trust us." She paused, choosing her words. "If Simba trusted Siri right away, then why didn't he trust us? I just want some answers." She looked into Vitani's eyes. "And I hate to sound melodramatic here, but the only way we can get them is through you."

* * *

Simba opened his eyes and looked around the cave, the forms of the sleeping lionesses appearing almost ghostly in the morning's gray light. Nala was still sleeping beside him, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Standing up carefully to avoid waking her, he stepped down from the stone platform and made his way outside. It was earlier than he'd assumed it to be; the sun hadn't risen and the air carried a slight chill. Nevertheless, he walked to the edge of Pride Rock's promontory and looked out over his kingdom.

Though it was cloudy, he could faintly make out some streaks of orange on the horizon that foretold the rising of the sun. As he leaned forward to get a closer look, he felt Nala beside him, rubbing her head against his mane. "You could have gotten me up, too," she teased, swatting him with her paw. "When's the last time we really watched the sunrise together?"

Simba smiled. "It really has been a while, hasn't it? I think it was the day we set off for the--" The unsaid word hung almost tangibly between them, both regretting what they had brought up. That day, everything had been peaceful, carefree; their only thoughts were those of love for each other. When they had encountered Siri, that peace was shattered. Nala didn't know if it would ever be put back together.

She frowned at this thought, knowing it was the one subject she'd been trying to push from her mind. It wasn't as though she were in any physical danger, or that she didn't love Simba anymore. In fact, she felt as close as ever. The problem was Siri. Though she didn't resent the young lioness anymore, Nala didn't see how her life would ever return to normal. Not only was she to be reminded of Simba's past life in the jungle on a daily basis, but she would also have to keep Siri's identity a secret the rest of her life.

To Nala, the worst part of it all was that they had gone to the jungle out of love, to relive those happy memories of their youth. Now it seemed like they were being punished, though for what exactly she didn't know. And though she knew it was selfish, her mind played over those few days, analyzing what could have been. _If I hadn't pointed her out to Simba on the log, we wouldn't even have known her. If I hadn't walked up to her and introduced myself_....

She shook her head. This was getting her nowhere. It was no use concentrating on the past; she was firmly stuck in the present and knew she had to deal with it. She was stronger than this, wasn't she? Nala's concentration was broken as she heard Siri's hesitant voice. "Simba, Nala, could I ask you something?"

Though her nervousness showed in her voice, Siri's bearing seemed more confident than Nala was accustomed to. She nodded in response, while Simba said, "Of course. What is it?"

The lioness shuffled her paws. "Well, I don't want you to take this the wrong way or anything," she began, "because I know you've gone out of your way for me and I'm really grateful...." She paused, clearly under great strain. When she spoke again, however, her voice was stronger. "I don't think I can live in a pride; I want to go back to the jungle. Is that all right with you?"

Nala felt a surge of guilt, though she knew in her heart she wasn't to blame. Yet a small part of her mind convinced herself that she played a part in Siri's decision, that her distance had driven her off. Fighting this negative thought, she voiced the question most prevalent in her mind. "Why? Don't you like it here?"

"It seems like a good home, but I already have one. It wouldn't-- well, it would be wrong if I just forgot about Tamaa. I can't leave my old life behind." Siri looked up at Simba, her voice lower. "And even if it's true that... you know," she said, casting a glance around her, "I don't think it would be good for either of us if I stayed."

Simba stared at her, seeming slightly confused. "What do you mean by that?" Siri sighed, looking at the ground.

"I think some of the lionesses don't trust me," she said. "They know there's more than we told them about me, and I... I just couldn't live with that. And you-- I know you and Nala wouldn't want to hide it from them forever. It's too much-- for both of us." She looked up again, her face seeming almost penitent. "I'm really sorry."

Simba shook his head. "Don't be. I know how you feel." Siri's expression was one of surprise as he continued speaking. "It's true that I lived in the jungle for a while, but it wasn't my real home. In the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to go back to the Pridelands one day. I've heard this saying once, that no matter what happens, we always return to our roots." He stared at Siri momentarily. "If you didn't want to go, you could have just told me. I wouldn't have been mad."

"I didn't know what to say," she said. "And then I thought that maybe I would like it after all. So I decided to give it a try...."

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Nala asked, still feeling a bit guilty. "I'm sure nothing bad is going to happen to you."

"I can't stay any longer," she said. "It seems like the more time I spend away from the jungle, the more I want to go back." She moved closer, speaking almost in a whisper. "You two have been so generous to me. I won't forget what you've done. And even if I'm not really your daughter, Simba... you've treated me like one. I won't forget either of you."

"When are you planning on leaving?" Simba asked. "I could help you back to the jungle if you want."

"I know the way back," Siri said. "You don't have to get involved any further." She paused. "And besides, I was planning on leaving right now, before it gets too hot."

"You don't want to at least stay for a meal?" Nala asked, already knowing the answer. The younger lioness shook her head.

"I guess this is goodbye, then," said Simba. "Good luck, Siri. If you ever want to come back here, you know the way." She took a tentative step forward, before rubbing her head against Simba's own, a contented smile on her face.

Nala placed a paw on one of Siri's. "Siri, if I ever came off as cold to you... I'm sorry. I don't want your last memory of me to be a negative one. Maybe we'll see each other again some day." Siri nodded, her gaze friendly.

Though she seemed calmer than before-- in fact, perhaps calmer than either of them had seen her-- Siri spoke awkwardly. "I'm really sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I know these past few days haven't been the best for any of us, and... I know it was my fault. I hope you don't hold it against me." She faced the king and queen for a long moment, then nodded. "Goodbye."

And with that Siri descended Pride Rock, glad that her proposal had been accepted. Though she was eager to return to her true home, she knew she wouldn't forget Simba or Nala. She had found out so much about who she was, what it was like in a pride; those kinds of things would leave an imprint on her forever. Yet her business at Pride Rock wasn't quite complete. As she reached the rocks at the bottom, she scanned the area, searching for a certain Outsider.

* * *

Vitani lounged on a stone just out of Pride Rock's shadow, basking in the early rays of the sun. Her eyes were half-closed, her limbs stretched out in relaxation. As a shadow fell over her, she opened her eyes, only to see Siri standing in front of her. She groaned inwardly; she'd been hoping to avoid her all day so she wouldn't have to continue with Janja's plan. Knowing she couldn't let that show, she tried to maintain a semblance of happiness. "Oh, hey, Siri," she said. "Almost didn't see you there. Going to hunt with us again today?"

Siri shook her head. "Actually, I came here to tell you something," she began. "I'm leaving Pride Rock today. I want to go back to the jungle." Vitani stared, confused.

"Why don't you want to stay?" she asked. She slapped a paw to her forehead in annoyance. "It's not about Janja, is it?"

"No, I just feel like... well, like I don't belong here," Siri said. "Remember what I said about the jungle yesterday? It's the only home I ever had; I belong there." Her eyes widened as she registered the latter part of Vitani's question. "I'm so sorry about last night! I didn't hurt her, did I?"

Vitani laughed. "Who, Janja? She's had a lot worse than that. I mean, come on, you barely touched her!" Siri smiled in relief.

"That's good," she said. "I wasn't trying to fight with her or anything. It just... happened before I even knew what I'd done." She sighed. "But that's not what I came to you for. I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Vitani asked. "What for? I didn't do anything for you."

"Yes, you did," Siri said, a look of gratitude on her face. "On the hunt the first day I came, and yesterday morning.... You were so kind to me. I'm sorry if I didn't talk much; I know it seemed like I didn't want to be your friend. I just wanted to tell you that before I left."

Vitani felt a stab of guilt. Just as Janja had planned, Siri mistook her probing investigations for attempts at friendship. She had hated the thought of manipulating the naive young lioness from the beginning; this only made her feel worse. It seemed more like something her mother, Zira, would have done. She couldn't deal with the guilt; she'd have to tell the truth. "I have to tell you something," she said. "Janja told me to try to make friends with you; it was her idea."

Siri looked genuinely confused. "Why?" she asked.

"Well, she's kind of impulsive," Vitani said. "She gets these weird ideas and just acts on them without thinking. And for some reason-- I don't know why-- she thought you were hiding something. She wanted me to find out what it was." Siri's expression was one of surprise, though she said nothing. "I'm sorry. I can understand if you hate me now. I don't even know why I listened to her."

"I don't hate you," Siri said. She seemed to consider her words before continuing. "Even if you did it because she told you to, you were just... welcoming, I guess. I was really nervous here." She laughed shortly. "Actually, I still am. But you helped me let down my guard. How could I _not_ thank you for that?"

Vitani smiled, though inwardly she still wished she had refused Janja's request from the start. "Any chance you'll come back here?"

"I don't think so," Siri said. "But I'm glad I met you; this is the first time I've been able to speak with so many other lions."

"Thanks, I guess," Vitani said awkwardly. "So this is it, huh? Normally I'd say 'See you around', but that wouldn't work too well, would it?"

"I guess not," she said. "It wasn't bad here, though, even with the whole... _incident_ last night. I just don't think I'm cut out for pride living." She turned away, calling out a goodbye over her shoulder, but Vitani barely heard her. Her mind was on her former "investigations". What was Janja going to do now? Vitani hoped she'd forget about it; after all, she really hadn't learned anything about Siri either. _Maybe_, she thought, turning onto her side, _some things should just stay as they are_.

* * *

A/N: Wow, this was my longest chapter ever! I kind of had to do this, though, because next chapter's going to be the last one. If I'd saved any of the scenes in here for next time they would've felt a little out of place.

Oh yeah, if anyone didn't get where the "Siri-hitting-Janja" thing came from, here's a bit of explanation. The way I see it, the Lion King characters behave like humans in pretty much every way. But in some situations, their behavior is more feral, instinctive (e.g., Simba and Nala attacking each other in the jungle at first, or Simba and Scar fighting on Pride Rock). Basically, Siri was so nervous she just reacted without thinking. I tried to make that explicit in the text, but if I didn't, now you know.

I hope you enjoyed this, and that you'll tell me what you think in a review. And keep a lookout for the final chapter, coming any day now!


	14. Gone, But Not Unchanged

A/N: So... I guess this is it. I'm just relieved I didn't abandon it at, like, Chapter One or something. Speaking of that, I recently looked back at the first chapter, and I think my writing's improved a bit since then. It _has_ been almost three months, though. I hope you enjoy this!

* * *

_Gone, But Not Unchanged_

Vitani could feel her friend's searching eyes on her almost as soon as she approached the Outsiders' hunting party. Feigning indifference, she faced the other lionesses and began to give instructions for the hunt. "It's a hot day today, so most of the herds will be around the waterholes," she said, casting a quick glance at Janja. The brown lioness's gaze remained locked on her face. "We'll try for one of the smaller ones in the east, so we don't wind up inside a stampede. Now let's go before it gets even hotter." With that, the lionesses set off, only Janja staying behind.

"Where's Siri?" she asked in a low voice, almost a growl. Vitani shrugged, turning to face her as the rest of the hunting party went on ahead. Janja's eyes narrowed in anger. "I told you to talk to her today; what are you waiting for?"

Vitani sighed, knowing that she'd have to tell the truth. She was hoping that no one would notice Siri's absence until she was well past the borders of the Pridelands. All she could do now was hope that Janja wouldn't do anything rash. "Look, Janj," she said carefully, "it's too late to talk to her now. She already left."

The older lioness's expression was one of confusion, as though she understood what Vitani had said but couldn't accept it. "Are you saying," she began, "that Siri isn't in the Pridelands anymore?" She scanned the area as she spoke, seeming more shocked by the second as she realized the answer on her own.

"She told me she couldn't live in a pride," Vitani said, nodding. "She left for the jungle just a few hours ago."

Though Janja still seemed outwardly confused, there was a growing current of anger present in her words. "But-- why did you let her leave?" she asked, glaring at Vitani. Not waiting for a reply, she turned roughly away. "That's it," she growled. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. I'm going to go find her."

"I can't let you do that," Vitani said, moving ahead to block her path. She extended her claws, ready to fight if it was necessary. "Why do you even care that she left? I would've thought you'd be glad."

"Even if she leaves, the fact remains," Janja said. "The fact that she was welcomed here with no objections from anyone, but _we_ weren't. And whether you want to admit it or not, we still aren't." For a moment, she broke off and looked in the direction of the hunting party. They seemed to have already chosen a target and were circling around it, prepared to rush in for the kill. "I want to find out why." She unsheathed her claws, taking a step forward. "Now get out of my way."

Vitani stood her ground, fairly certain her friend was bluffing. She'd known Janja all her life, and though the older lioness was reckless and stubborn in carrying out her plans, she wasn't usually prone to violence. Even after Siri had attacked her the night before, Janja hadn't attempted to return the favor. As the Outsider advanced, however, Vitani got the uneasy feeling that nothing she could do would deter her. "I won't," she said. "Can't you just forget about Siri?"

"You don't care about anything, do you?" Janja asked, sidling around Vitani as she spoke. "You don't care what happens to your old pride, just as long as you get to live in peace and lead the hunting party." She turned to look at Vitani again. "But I do, and that's why I'm going to catch up with her before she makes it to the jungle."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Vitani stared at the lioness before her. "Do you even know what you're saying? I told you she left hours ago; there's no way you'll be able to catch up to her by now." Janja suddenly retracted her claws, seeming as though she had come to a decision. For an instant, Vitani hoped she'd given up, but those hopes were dashed when Janja spoke again.

"Fine. Then I'll just go speak to Simba instead," Janja said, making for Pride Rock. Vitani didn't know what to do. Though complaining to Simba seemed, on the surface, a more preferable solution than going after and possibly attacking Siri, it could potentially bring even more problems to the Outsiders. Vitani was sure that Siri hadn't been keeping anything from the pride, and Janja interrogating Simba would only make him angry, or at least suspicious. And though she didn't like to think about it, she knew that Janja was right: the Outsiders, with the exception of Kovu, still hadn't been completely assimilated into the pride. The last thing Vitani wanted to do was return to the Outlands as an exile. With that thought in mind, she dashed up beside Janja.

"Don't," she said, hoping the other lioness would stop to listen. "Just try to think rationally here, okay? If you get Simba mad, do you know what he'll do?" By now Janja had stopped, and though her countenance displayed her irritation, it was clear Vitani had piqued her interest. "He'll exile you. Maybe all of us if he's angry enough. If you really want the best for the Outsiders, like you say you do, you won't talk to him."

Janja nodded slowly, seeming to realize the truth in Vitani's words. "I see what you're saying," she said, "but how can we keep living like this? We're still not trusted, and I have to do something about it!" As she spoke in her anger, she unconsciously extended her claws. Annoyed now at Janja's persistence, Vitani spoke angrily.

"You know, Janja, I've tried," she said. "I've tried helping you, I've tried speaking rationally with you. But you still don't seem to get it." She paused, waiting for a reaction. Seeing none, she spoke again, her voice louder. "Your 'plans' aren't working. Give them up. I'm beginning to think the reason they don't trust us is because of lionesses like you!" As she caught her breath, Vitani was sure Janja would ignore her and continue to Pride Rock. She was surprised when the other lioness spoke, not having moved from where she was.

"I guess you have a point there," Janja said, now looking in the direction of the hunting party. "Do you think we should go help them?"

Vitani was surprised. "You mean after all that, you're just giving up?"

"Not exactly," Janja said. "I won't speak to Simba about Siri; maybe I won't even talk to him at all." She paused, thinking. "But if I notice any Outsiders being treated unfairly, you can bet he'll be the first one who hears about it. I'm just choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt." Though this solution didn't seem much better-- Vitani was sure Janja would find an injustice to complain about within a week-- it was far more sensible than risking exile.

"Janj, you're hopeless," Vitani said. The other lioness smirked. "But I guess I can live with that." And the two lionesses made their way to the rest of the hunting party, their only worry for the time being the problem of catching a meal.

* * *

Simba sat on the promontory of Pride Rock, looking out at the expanse of stars above. Though he had left the confines of his cave to clear his head, his thoughts continued to return to Siri. By now she had surely reached the jungle, unless harm had happened to befall her on the way. Had he done the right thing, letting her leave the Pridelands alone? He should have insisted he'd accompany her, or at least made more of an effort. After all, he would have done the same for Kiara. He knew that Siri might not be his daughter, but he still felt responsible for her safety.

Looking at the stars only reminded him of that night in the jungle, the night when he'd realized the truth of Siri's identity. He had told her the story of the great kings of the past, slightly surprised to hear that she'd never heard it from Tamaa. Though Simba knew Tamaa hadn't believed him, he'd hoped that maybe, even in some small way, she had passed a part of him onto Siri. Judging from what Siri had said, however, he knew that the lioness he'd once loved had all but pushed any memory of him from her life. And though he hated to admit it, he had the feeling he was doing the same with Siri.

He knew that, with her gone, his life would return to normalcy. He and Nala could remain together, their love unthreatened. Kiara would grow up before his eyes, until she was mature enough to take the position of queen. Already Simba was relieved at the prospect of having no more secrets to keep from the pride. Yet he felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that as time passed, she too would fade from his life just as her mother had done. He wanted to prevent that, though he didn't know how.

Sighing, he made his way back to the pride's cave. Maybe this time he'd be able to sleep, undisturbed by thoughts of the young lioness whose path he'd crossed. As he started to enter the cave, barely registering his surroundings, he nearly bumped into Nala. "Sorry," he said, beginning to make his way around her. She stopped him with a paw.

"What's your hurry?" she asked. "I came out to see _you_, you know." Simba followed his mate as she made her way to the rock's ledge. She turned to face him. "What were you doing out here, anyway?"

"Nothing, really," he replied, not wanting to delve into the matter any further. One look into her blue-green eyes told him she knew he was lying. "I guess I'm just kind of... worried about Siri," he admitted, hoping the mention of the lioness wouldn't make Nala angry. To his surprise, she only stared curiously.

"Why?" she asked. "Don't you think she got back to the jungle all right?"

"No, it's not that," Simba answered, shaking his head. "I feel guilty that we let her leave like that. Like we could have done more for her." Nala's gaze was sympathetic as she spoke, her voice reassuring.

"But she wanted to leave. It would have only made her feel worse if we forced her to stay."

"So you don't think it was because of us?" he asked, voicing the concern he'd had trouble admitting even to himself. Nala shook her head.

"Of course not," she replied. "Simba, you know what she said. She grew up in the jungle; that's her real home. We didn't do anything wrong."

He sighed. "I'm beginning to think I did. Sure, I'm thinking of Siri now, but what if I forget about her? Like Tamaa-- what if I just push her out of my life? It seems unfair; she said she wouldn't forget about us...."

Nala laughed as he trailed off. "Simba, are you joking?" she asked, nudging him. "I'd say way too much has happened in the last few days for _either_ of us to forget her." She turned to look in the direction of the jungle. "Besides, just think: if you ever want to see her again, the jungle isn't too far away." This time Simba laughed in response.

"I think you're the one who's joking," he said. "Because right now, I'm not exactly eager to plan another trip." He laid a paw on top of one of Nala's. "But you have to admit, it was pretty good while it lasted." She leaned to the side, resting her head against his own as he gazed at her with loving eyes.

"And it can only get better from here, don't you think?"

* * *

Siri sat down on top of a hill to relax from her walking, feeling the tall grass that surrounded her brushing lightly against her legs in the afternoon's breeze. This was only the second time she had been here; before she'd met Simba and Nala she hadn't strayed far from the jungle. Her thoughts turned to the night before, right before she'd fallen asleep. She had turned her gaze upward, marveling at the innumerable stars that seemed so clear from her vantage point. Again she wondered if Tamaa and Hifadhi were up there, but in her heart she doubted it. Thinking of this now reminded her of Simba and Nala, as well as the rest of his pride.

How did they feel, now that she was gone? It had seemed to her like Simba had wanted to get to know her more, at least while they were in the jungle. But once they'd reached Pride Rock, she hadn't seen much of them. Frankly, Siri was fairly certain that both Simba and Nala were relieved to see her go. She knew, because it had been hard enough not to reveal her identity herself; it must have been even worse for them.

While she knew she hadn't made much of an impact on the rest of the pride, she did wonder how they were affected by her departure. Vitani had likely told Janja that she was gone; she'd reminded Siri slightly of Tamaa, always ready to speak her mind. She didn't know how Janja would have reacted to this, however. Did she give up in her plans, or had this only made her angrier? What if Janja had spoken to Simba, and her secret was revealed?

Siri supposed it didn't matter anymore, at least for her. Now that she was gone from the Pridelands, she wouldn't have to deal with their attention or hate at this revelation. But how would Kiara feel, hearing this news? What would Sarabi think of her son? She remembered that she'd never gotten a chance to speak with Sarabi again; she hoped the older lioness wasn't mad. And even though she was no longer a member of the pride-- if she ever had been-- she hoped everything there would work out. She hated to think that she had broken the peaceful balance that had existed before her arrival.

As she reminisced about watching the stars above, she thought of Simba again. More specifically, the lack of information she'd received about him from Tamaa. Why hadn't she told her anything about him? It would have only helped her: helped her draw closer to her mother, helped her learn other lions could be trusted. There was so much about Tamaa she didn't know, so much that, now, she would never learn. Shaking her head, she made her way down the hill, her eyes focused on the horizon.

Her eyes lit up as she walked, for further on the horizon she could make out the familiar shapes of the jungle's trees. Though she had been walking for quite a while, by now she felt as though she were truly close to home. Siri wondered if this was how Tamaa and Hifadhi felt when they came across the jungle for the first time, though from where she didn't know. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she quickened her pace, her heart racing faster and faster the closer she got to her home.

Time seemed to flow as she ran, and Siri almost didn't notice the distance she'd covered until she reached the border between the tall grasses and the jungle. She stood in the evening light, at first hesitant to enter. She laughed slightly; why was she so nervous? Taking a deep breath, she took her first step inside. And from there, everything came naturally.

The jungle was exactly the same as it had been when she'd left, yet she gazed upon the familiar sights as though seeing them for the first time. The stone structure that was her home, the flowing waterfall, the spreading trees and hanging vines. And though she wouldn't forget the Pridelands, she knew she'd never return. This was better than a pride: it was where she belonged. But there was one place she still had to see before turning in for the night, one duty she had to fulfill.

Siri negotiated her way over logs and around stands of trees, looking for the site of the fire. She gasped upon seeing it, for it was the one place that had changed. Though it was quite obviously still unlivable, already new life had begun to grow; green shoots of life emerging from the ashes, ready to renew the land and make a fresh start. She walked over to the rock she had placed in the ashes, barely noticing how it became blurry before her eyes. "Tamaa, Hifadhi, did you miss me?" she asked, smiling through her tears. "I'm finally home."

_The End_

* * *

A/N: Seriously, I can't believe this is over. I'm really proud of myself for finishing it! This isn't the last TLK fic I plan to write, though; if anyone's interested, I already have plans for another multi-chapter fic and a few oneshots. How about checking them out, hmm?

But enough gratuitous plugging of my future fics. Now it's about you. Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed! It really means a lot to me that you took the time to read this; I can't say this enough. And to everyone who reviewed, I'm really grateful; I love hearing what others think of my writing and how I can improve. Again, thanks so much! I don't think there's anything else I need to say. So until next time, this is Nielae, signing off.


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